Suffolk travel agent says heatwave in Southern Europe isn't putting people off their holidays
The UN weather agency claims temperatures may break the 48-point-8 Celsius record set in Sicily two years ago
Southern Europe - particularly Italy and Spain - is expected to face its hottest days today and tomorrow as a second heatwave hits.
Some places have struggled to drop below 30 Celsius at night, making it hard for many to sleep.
Andrea Powell is the owner of Ipswich-based Idelo Travel - she tells us people aren't letting the weather get in the way of their holidays - and has this advice: "We always recommend getting travel insurance... I would never go away without it...
"Genreally, if you're on holiday in the heat, you'll want to see as much as possible... certainly wear sun cream and a sun hat.
"Use water spray bottles and get someone to spray the back of your neck and your clothes...
"Follow any advice given, and make sure you're hydrated. Just be sensible with it."
Here in the UK though, weather-wise it's a different picture to Europe, and the extreme weather we saw in July 2022.
At this point last year the Met Office had just issued its first ever red warning for extreme heat, prompting railway lines to close, airports to cancel flights and councils to spread sand on roads to stop the surface melting.
Temperatures hit 38.1C at Santon Downham in Suffolk on July 18, then rose even further to peak at a record 40.3C in Coningsby in Lincolnshire on July 19 - the first time 40C had been exceeded in the UK.
This month has been cooler, with the highest temperature so far being 30.2C at Chertsey in Surrey on July 7.
The average daily mean temperature in central England has been lower this year than last on 11 of the 16 days between July 1 and 16, while the average maximum temperature has been lower on 12 out of 16 days, Met Office figures show.
There is also a sharp difference in rainfall levels.
The first half of July 2022 was very dry, with average daily rainfall in England and Walesbetween July 1 and 16 peaking at just 2.62mm on July 1, and zero average rain recorded on July 7 and July 9-11.
By contrast, July 2023 has seen several examples of high rainfall in England and Wales, including an average of 10.01mm on July 4 and 13.61mm on July 14, while there have been no zero average days so far.
The main reason the UK has avoided a repeat of the extreme temperatures of July 2022 - as well as the ferocious heat currently affecting southern Europe - is the position of the jet stream, the fast-flowing current of air that blows from west to east above the Earth's surface.
For much of July last year, the jet stream was stuck to the north of the UK, keeping away low pressure systems while trapping high pressure areas above the country, causing very high temperatures and long periods of dry conditions.
This was also the situation last month, which led to it being the warmest June on record.
But since the end of June 2023 the jet stream has shifted southwards and is currently sitting directly over the UK, resulting in unsettled conditions including showers.
The jet stream is forecast to remain in this position for the next few days, bringing more low pressure areas to the UK, according to the Met Office.