Spain and Portugal are seeing record high temperatures for May, with thermometers hitting levels normally only seen in midsummer.
Spain’s meteorological agency said the eastern town of Xativa recorded 42.9C yesterday, easily breaking a 2006 record of 40.1C at Cordoba Airport.
Portugal also set a May record, with the southern city of Beja sizzling on Wednesday in 40C heat. Portugal’s previous May high was 39.5C in 2011.
The stifling heat stretched across to Spain’s Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, where temperatures of 42.4C were recorded on Wednesday at Lanzarote Airport.
The town of Pego in Spain’s eastern Alicante region was fighting a wildfire as the temperature soared.