AN urgent warning has been issued to Irish holidaymakers as temperatures are set to rocket in top sunshine spots this summer.
Spain, Italy and Greece are bracing for an extreme heatwave this week.
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Parts of Spain, especially Seville, Cordoba, Jaen and areas near the Portugal border are expected to experience high temperatures exceeding 40C tomorrow.
Most of Spain will also see mercury in the mid to upper 30s, with Spanish weather bosses even issuing a yellow weather warning for Southern Andalucia.
Italy and Greece will experience their highest temperatures a bit later on July 16.
The worst-hit areas in this region of the upcoming heatwave will be around the popular tourist hot-spots Bari, Catania and Larissa.
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Near the border with Macedonia, mercury could reach a whopping 40C.
Most of Greece and Italy will also see rising temperatures, and its expected to peak at 39C over the next week.
Tourists and locals are now being advised to stay cautious, as Italy and Greece have issued weather warnings due to the extreme heat.
Climate and first aid product manager at the British Red Cross William Spencer warned that heatwaves are becoming more frequent due to climate change.
He said: “Sadly, we have seen cases already this year of the tragic impact high temperatures can have on the human life.
“We would advise people to plan ahead for the effects of heat on their trip, making sure they know how to recognise the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.”
Being out in the sun for too long during a heatwave can have serious effects on your health.
One major issue is heat exhaustion, which happens when the body loses a lot of water and salt, and symptoms include nausea, headaches and muscle cramps.
If it gets worse, you could also get heat stroke, which requires medical attention straight away as it could be fatal.
A forecaster from Netweather Ian Simpson said that not all of Europe will be affected by this up coming heatwave,
He said: “Although southern and eastern Europe can expect some hot weather during the upcoming fortnight, it looks unlikely that it will turn hot in north-western Europe for a while.
“This is because we will have strong high pressure area over the Azores and a strong jet stream running on its northern flank, bringing persistent west to north-westerly winds.”
All tourists travelling to southern Europe are being advised to stay safe as the heatwave approaches over the next coming days.
Meanwhile, scientists have warned of record 33C temperatures and an extreme summer heat threat for Ireland.
Research by scientists at Maynooth University has confirmed that extreme heat of 33C is now 20 times more likely to happen.
High temperatures have gone from once in 180 year events to once in nine year events in Ireland, which makes them 20 times more likely to occur.
The study was conducted by Maynooth University’s ICARUS climate research centre and mathematicians from its Hamilton Institute that will feed into the work of the Climate+ initiative.
This is a cross-border collaboration involving all the universities in Ireland funded by the Science Foundation Ireland.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Ireland was in 1887 in Kilkenny Castle when mercury reached 33.3C.
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