𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Several popular tourist destinations in Italy are expected to swelter through prolonged stretches of temperatures in the high 30s.

In Rome, daytime highs won’t dip below 37C until Thursday, according to Il Meteo, while temperatures in Florence will alternate between 38C and 39C from Monday.

Naples will also reach highs of 37C on Saturday and Monday, while in the northeast, Venice will reach 36C on Wednesday and Thursday.

Temperatures in other Italian destinations are forecast to be milder, reaching the mid-30s for Naples and high 20s for Bari in Puglia over the weekend.

Paris is facing a heatwave from Monday, with temperatures peaking at 39C on Tuesday and forecasters urging caution for people who have to be outside for longer periods of time.

Mr Nicholls said those temperatures at this time of year for Paris were not common, last occurring in 2022.

In the south of France, temperatures are expected to reach 40C in some areas and authorities have issued a severe fire risk warning and an orange alert for extreme heat for nine departments across central- and south-east France by Saturday.

In inland areas of those departments, temperatures could climb to 42C, Le Parisien reports.

Meteo France warned that high surface temperatures on the Mediterranean Sea could also affect overnight minimum temperatures, “making nights more stifling during the heatwave”.

Temperatures in Spain began to rise sharply on Friday, with heatwave conditions expected to continue until at least Tuesday with extremely high temperatures potentially reaching 42C in parts of the country, according to Spain’s meteorological office.

“Very high and persistent temperatures are expected, both during the day and at night, which could pose a risk to exposed and/or vulnerable people,” the agency said.

In the Canary Islands, temperatures could reach as high as 36C on Saturday, while inland Mallorca will occasionally reach 38C.

Also on the Iberian peninsula, Portugal’s weather forecaster has issued an orange warning for extreme high temperatures over the weekend.

Temperatures in Lisbon and central Portugal are forecast to exceed 42C by Sunday and the high 30s in southern parts of the country.

Urgent evacuation orders have been issued for five communities south of Athens as a large wildfire, fanned by strong winds and exacerbated by Greece’s first summer heatwave, rages near the capital.

The blaze broke out on Thursday in the Palaia Fokaia seaside area, with temperatures soaring close to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

The fire department has deployed 90 firefighters, supported by eight water-dropping planes and five helicopters, to battle the inferno.

Reportedly originating within a populated area, the flames have sent thick plumes of smoke billowing across the sky, with local television footage showing at least one house already consumed by the blaze.

As a precautionary measure, the coast guard has positioned two patrol boats and nine private vessels on standby in the Palaia Fokaia area, ready for a potential evacuation by sea. A lifeboat is also en route to assist with any maritime rescue operations.