Tourists heading to southwestern Europe (Iberia) are being warned to take extra care as record-breaking temperatures are in the forecast for later this week.

Holidaymakers in Spain, Portugal and southwest France should prepare for extreme heat by staying inside during the hottest parts of the day and keeping hydrated.

 This could be a historic weather event for Europe with the possible highest ever temperatures in Europe been broken.

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The hottest temperatures ever recorded in Spain is a record high is 47.3C and Portugal's is 47.4C. 

The hottest temperature over mid week and the end of the week will rise to 48C to 50C which is possible across inland parts of Portugal and valleys of southern Spain.

Southwestern parts of France will see temperatures rise to 40C over this week. The hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe reached 48 °C  in both Athens and Elefsina, Greece on July 10, 1977, setting the official European record high.

Anyone heading there on holidays this week should prepare for extreme heat and follow instructions and stay in door during the hottest part of the day. There will also be a extremely high risk of wildfires due to the extreme heat along with disruption to local public services.

Temperatures on Wednesday are forecast to rise as high as 43C and then in to the high 40s from Thursday into the first part of next week with the risk of temperatures even getting as high as 50C between this Thursday and next Monday the 6 of August.

Below you can find the temperatures for Portugal, Spain and southern France for the next 6 days.

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