High pressure has been building in from the south where temperatures across continental Europe have been particularly high.
France and Spain have been among the hottest locations this week with temperatures exceeding 40C at times.
On Thursday, Spain saw its hottest day of 2026. Huelva in the south-west reached a staggering 45.7C.
The hottest spots in Spain will continue to exceed 40C this weekend and early next week, even around the Erbo valley in the north, which typically see temperatures closer to 20C this time of year.
Parts of southern France, including the Ardeche region, will see temperatures in the high 30s for the next few days, possibly touching 40C locally.