Western and Central Europe is in the grip of a massive extreme weather event, with sweltering conditions expected to continue and temperatures into the 40s sustained at least for the next four days.
The core areas of this unprecedented and deadly phenomenon are most of France and parts of southern Spain and Portugal.
Temperatures are 8-10 degrees above the seasonal average going back at least three decades, from 1991 to 2020.
It is possible that locally, temperatures might rise to even 15 degrees higher than the June average.
Things will be getting worse early next week, with France declaring red alert in many districts, while Central Europe, mostly Germany-which normally records temperatures of just 24 during this time of year- and the Czech Republic are suffering in humid, sultry conditions.
Paris is expected to see record temperatures over the next few days.
The highest in recent times was in 1947, as mercury rose to 36,7 degrees Celsius.