Europe holidaymakers issued urgent 'heat dome' warning - 45C heatwave alerts

Europe holidaymakers issued urgent 'heat dome' warning - 45C heatwave alerts Heatwave alerts have been issued in Portugal, Spain and France as forecaster say an intense 'heat dome' could bring temperatures of up to 45C to parts of Europe Holidaymakers heading to Portugal, Spain and France are being warned to keep a close eye on the forecast as an intense early-summer heatwave builds across Western Europe. Some inland areas could potentially see 45C temperatures in the most extreme scenarios, forecasters have warned. The UK Met Office has confirmed that a 'European heatwave is on the way' for much of Western Europe. Temperatures are expected to rise sharply from today (Wednesday, June 17), with the heat forecast to peak between June 22 and June 26. In a Met Office Deep Dive video, meteorologist Aidan McGivern said: “A European heatwave is on the way, 40 degrees likely across some parts of Spain, France and Italy, well above average for the middle of June.” It is likely to be cooler in coastal resorts where the temperatures can be tempered by the sea compared to inland locations which are more exposed to extreme highs. He added: “Coastal areas will be moderated significantly by the sea temperatures but inland that's why high 30s, 40C 41C are expected.” Met Office: “A European heatwave is on the way” The wider heat signal has also been flagged by the UK Met Office. On the Met Office YouTube channel meteorologist Aidan McGivern stressed how unusual the temperatures are for this time of year. He said: "It is worth remembering as well, this is June we're talking about. We're talking 10 degrees above average right across Spain and into France.” Met Office weather forecast charts show temperatures of up to 40C, but the forecaster said that these models can understate the most extreme peaks in hotspots. He said: “We've got some 40s coming up for the weekend and again worthy of emphasis, this is probably underdoing it by a couple of degrees given the resolution of the model underneath.” Portugal: Powerful 'heat dome' could bring 45C temperatures Portuguese news websites are reporting that the country could be “on the verge of a new and potentially severe heatwave”. Temperatures are forecast to exceed 40°C across large parts of Portugal and “possibly reach 45°C in some inland areas next week”, Portugal Resident reports. The report says weather models are increasingly converging on the formation of a powerful 'heat dome' over Western Europe, raising concerns Europe's second heatwave of 2026 could be more intense and prolonged than the exceptional hot spell between late May and early June. Spain: AEMET issues warnings as temperatures climb Spain’s national weather agency AEMET has already issued high temperature warnings in several areas. Highs of 38C are forecast in parts of Seville, while Barcelona, Tarragona and Madrid could see 36C. AEMET said “a notable rise in temperatures is expected over the weekend”, adding: “The heat will increase. Between the end of this week and the beginning of the next, temperatures could be among the highest recorded for those dates.” Current forecasts suggest temperatures could climb above 40C in parts of Spain next week, with AEMET warning some places may see some of the hottest conditions so far this year. France: “Tropical nights” and 40C peaks possible In France, Météo‑France said very high temperatures and 'tropical nights' are expected, when temperatures may not drop below 25°C. From Thursday through Sunday, 34°C to 38°C is forecast across much of France, from the southwest to the northeast, including the Paris region. Peaks of 40°C are anticipated on Sunday (June 21) in the Paris region, the Rhône Valley and Poitou‑Charentes on the Atlantic coast, linked to another influx of warm air from North Africa. Météo‑France climatologist Matthieu Sorel said: “This heatwave will be one of the earliest since records began.”