British tourists warned to 'take care' as Europe faces hottest ever day '“ with temperatures reaching 48C in SpainÂ

British holidaymakers are being warned to '˜take care' as Europe faces its hottest day on recored.Â
A boy jumps from a dock to the sea during a hot summer day in Barcelona, Spain. Picture: AP Photo/Emilio MorenattiA boy jumps from a dock to the sea during a hot summer day in Barcelona, Spain. Picture: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
A boy jumps from a dock to the sea during a hot summer day in Barcelona, Spain. Picture: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Temperatures could reach a baking 48C in parts of Spain and Portugal this weekend. 

Weather warnings have been issued across Europe for the coming days. 

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Our sister paper The i reports that Met Office forecaster Richard Miles said: '˜With 48ºC expected in Iberia, highs are likely to beat records.

A boy jumps from a dock to the sea during a hot summer day in Barcelona, Spain. Picture: AP Photo/Emilio MorenattiA boy jumps from a dock to the sea during a hot summer day in Barcelona, Spain. Picture: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
A boy jumps from a dock to the sea during a hot summer day in Barcelona, Spain. Picture: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

'˜Tourists in Spain and Portugal clearly need to take care in such high temperatures. '˜Continental heat will move up to Britain from the south. The low 30s are possible from Friday to Sunday.

'˜The South and East will be hottest and it will be a warm weekend for most, although cooler in the North.'

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While back in the UK another blast of hot weather is set to hit Portsmouth and the South East. 

Temperatures could reach 48C in Spain and Portugal today. Picture: Nick Ansell/ PA WireTemperatures could reach 48C in Spain and Portugal today. Picture: Nick Ansell/ PA Wire
Temperatures could reach 48C in Spain and Portugal today. Picture: Nick Ansell/ PA Wire
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Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said the mercury was likely to reach the high 20s and low 30s again, adding that despite the more comfortable temperatures in recent days "it is not the end of the hot weather for the summer".

Temperatures could climb back up to 31C in London this weekend, with sunshine returning to most of the country.

The north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland will enjoy temperatures in the mid-20s, with scatterings of rain.

A Met Office spokesman told the Press Association: '˜Essentially at the end of the week we're looking at a bit of a north-west/south-east split in the weather.

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"Northern and some western areas will often be cooler with some outbreaks of rain - particularly in Northern Ireland - and that could spread in to southern and western Scotland.'

Temperatures are likely to hit at least 32C and possibly 33C in parts of the south east on Friday, while south western parts of the UK could see 28C or 29C.

The spokesman added: '˜This weekend is much more promising than last weekend with plenty of sunshine around, although the north of England could see a few showers on Saturday.'

The heat is likely to continue into next week.

'˜Temperatures will remain pretty hot across at least the south of England but potentially more widely across the UK - we could see some wet weather coming across the north west, but still pretty hot,' the spokesman said.

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Holidaymakers heading to Spain and Portugal were warned of an extreme heatwave which could see the hottest temperatures ever recorded in continental Europe.

Luke Miall, a Met Office meteorologist, said the current record of 48C (118F) in Athens, Greece, in 1977 could be broken as a wave of blisteringly hot air sweeps in from Africa.

Temperatures crept into the low 40s on Wednesday and are predicted to rise and peak at the weekend, with the highs expected inland rather than in coastal areas.

He added: '˜These sorts of temperatures are not only exceptional for the locals but people from the UK will never really have experienced them.

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'˜Especially with it being the school holidays, and the very young and old being susceptible to heatstroke, we're advising tourists to keep out of the midday sun and protect themselves.

'˜Combined with high pressure in charge, blue skies every day, and the ground already warmed up, that leads to a day-on-day build, combining to give us these intense temperatures.'

Temperatures in south-west France could also rise to the high 30s, he added.

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