Holidaymakers heading to a number of top tourist destinations this week have been issued with a health warning. Experts at the Met Office have warned travellers that the mercury is set to peak at 'unusually high temperatures'.
Parts of Portugal will swelter in 42C heat, while areas of Greece will see the mercury spike at 38C. The forecaster tweeted: "Are you off on your summer holiday soon?
"Heatwave conditions will extend across more areas of southern Europe and North Africa this week, with unusually high temperatures in places like the Canary Islands."
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Worryingly, temperatures are set to peak at 10-15C higher than average in some areas. In parts of Sardinia, southern Italy and Greece, the mercury is expected to reach of 40-45C, compared with an average of around 32C.
North Africa is also set to suffer from extreme heat, where temperatures are forecast to reach 50C. Tunisia has already endured record-breaking temperatures of up to 49C.
Met Office spokesperson Grahame Madge said: "Communities in the affected regions should expect health impacts and the potential for wildfires."
The extreme heat comes after the world has had its hottest week on record according to preliminary figures, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has said.
It is the latest in a string of records that has concerned scientists about how quickly the planet is heating up on the back of human-driven climate change. Last month was the hottest June on record, globally and for the UK, while ocean temperatures have been at their highest ever recorded since March, driven by El Nino in the Pacific and a severe marine heatwave in the North Atlantic.
Canada has been suffering from its worst-ever wildfire season which has poured toxic smoke into US cities, while punishing heatwaves have swept over India, China and southern Europe, with temperatures predicted to rise to 44C in southern Spain this week.
Professor Christopher Hewitt, WMO director of climate services, said: “The exceptional warmth in June and at the start of July occurred at the onset of the development of El Nino, which is expected to further fuel the heat both on land and in the oceans and lead to more extreme temperatures and marine heatwaves.
“We are in uncharted territory and we can expect more records to fall as El Nino develops further and these impacts will extend into 2024. This is worrying news for the planet.
Dr Michael Sparrow, head of WMO’s World Climate Research Department, said: “The temperatures in the North Atlantic are unprecedented and of great concern.
“They are much higher than anything the models predicted. This will have a knock-on effect on ecosystems and fisheries and on our weather.”
Antarctic sea ice is also at a record low, 17% below average, which has broken the previous June record by a “substantial margin”, the WMO said.
Tips for coping in hot weather
According to the NHS, people should keep out of the heat if they can. If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter.
Cool yourself down. Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.
