Why is it so hot?published at 10:20 BST
Helen Willetts
BBC Weather
This potentially record breaking and dangerous heatwave is not limited to here in the UK, it’s affecting much of western Europe.
The heat is building due to a combination of factors:
Firstly there is a strong high pressure sitting across Europe which acts like a lid trapping the heat in the lowest layers of our atmosphere.
Then at this time of year we have a positive energy balance, simply we get more heat in from the sun than we lose.
As a result of the high pressure position we have a southerly drift over the UK, so as well building our own heat we are importing heat from Europe – where it’s also highly likely to be record breaking.
Despite recent rain, the ground is now pretty dry which means all of the sun’s heat goes into raising the ground and air temperature and not evaporating moisture.
Red warnings are in force for extreme heat across much of France, and some French schools have closed for the day.
Red warning are also peppered across Spain and Germany today with Luxembourg joining tomorrow, and more extensive amber warnings.
Here is a forecast for the next few days in Madrid, Bordeaux, Paris and London:
