Travellers from the UK, US and elsewhere in the world may be looking with concern at planned trips to the Mediterranean.
As the busiest summer getaway since 2019 begins, travellers to southern Europe are likely to experience extreme heat. An area of high pressure appears to have settled over the Med with little sign of abating.
The deadly “Cerberus” heatwave (so named by Italian meteorologists) is gripping southern France, Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece and Turkey, as well as smaller countries in the Mediterranean region.
While the heat in western Europe may ease slightly over the next few days, the eastern Mediterranean is likely to get even hotter.
With forecasters predicting the heatwave could last for up to two weeks, concerns are growing about the risks to health. As The Independent reported this week, 61,000 Europeans are believed to have died as a result of the extreme heat last summer.
For travellers contemplating their options, these are the key questions and answers.
Where are the hottest spots?
Temperatures around the Mediterranean are typically 8–13C above normal – which, at this time of year, means temperatures are very high by the standards of the UK.
On Wednesday afternoon, the temperature at Malaga on Spain’s Costa del Sol peaked at 43C – over 110F.
The Met Office forecast for southern Spain predicts completely clear skies from Saturday 16 to Wednesday 26 July inclusive.
Nine Italian cities, including Florence, Bologna and Rome, are on red alert because of the extreme weather. One forecast for the islands of Sicily and Sardinia put the possible temperature as high as 48C (118F).
The Cyprus Department of Meteorology says: “The maximum temperature is expected to reach around 40 degrees Celsius over inland areas and around 32 degrees Celsius over the highest mountainous areas.
“During Friday and Saturday the temperature is expected to increase further.”
Away from the Mediterranean, the landlocked countries of Hungary and Serbia have issued severe heat warnings.
What are the health risks – and how can they be reduced?
Young and old traveller, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (especially cardiovascular and respiratory) are particularly susceptible to excess heat.
The NHS Scotland Fit For Travel website warns: “Exposure to high temperatures can result in loss of fluids and salts.
“When the body gets…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Independent Travel…