Record-breaking headlines: Will Southern Europe hit 48°C?

Southern Europe is still under a relentless heatwave, but how much longer will it last?

The strong and persistent high pressure system, or anticyclone, that was known as Cerberus will begin to ease a little from mid-week, though not much respite is in sight and certainly not for long.

A low pressure system orientated across Scandinavia will sink southwards deeper into Europe, where the risk of severe thunderstorms will also increase.

However weather models now indicate models renewed contributions of hot African air towards the eastern Mediterranean, with the hot air mass becoming once again situated across parts of southern Europe, newly named Charon.

This time, it looks to become more focused to Italy and Greece, with less of France, Spain and Portugal affected. For those that are, it looks like the heat will not let up for the rest of the month.

Latest weather models indicate on Sunday 23rd July, temperatures could reach into the mid-to-high-40s Celsius, potentially breaking the Italian record of 47.2°C in Floridia, Syracuse, in addition to the all-time official European record of 48.8°C from August 2021.

For now however, across the Spanish holiday island of La Palma, in the Canaries, the heat has ignited a large forest fire.

Over four thousand people have had to be evacuated as result of the 4700 hectare forest fire - a fire that matches the size of around 6500 football pitches.