Europe is facing one of its most intense heat waves in recent years, with temperatures climbing above 40°C in several countries and little immediate relief expected. Meteorologists warn that a persistent high-pressure system, often described as a "heat dome," is trapping hot air across large parts of the continent, fueling dangerous conditions from the Iberian Peninsula to Central Europe and the United Kingdom.

The temperature spike is being driven by a mass of hot air moving from the Sahara, fuelled by a high-pressure ‘African anticyclone’ system.

The spike in temperatures is being driven by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara, fuelled by a strong high-pressure system known as the ‘African anticyclone’.

France, Spain and Germany roll out safety measures amid intensifying heat