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How hot Spain, Greece and Italy are, and latest weather forecast as Cerberus continues

Southern Europe is sweltering under extreme heat, amid warnings that the continent could see its hottest ever day with Italy nearing the 48.8°C record and a second fierce heatwave on the way.

Weather alerts are in place across Spain’s Canary Islands, Italy and Greece, with the Greek authorities expecting temperatures to reach 44°C on Friday and Saturday.

The high-pressure system affecting the region has been named Cerberus, after the three-headed dog in ancient Greek mythology that guarded the gates to the underworld.

And Italian forecasters expect a second heatwave – named Charon after the ferryman to the underworld in Greek mythology – to follow hot on its heels next week.

In Greece, authorities shut the ancient Acropolis from midday until 5pm on Friday to protect visitors, while an ambulance has been placed on standby near the archaeological site to provide first aid to tourists.

Red Cross workers handed out bottles of water to people forming long queues at the Acropolis with only olive trees for cover before the site was temporarily closed.

Tourists huddle under an umbrella at the Acropolis during the heatwave in Athens, Greece (Photo: Petros Giannakouris/AP)

Greece’s meteorological service forecast temperatures peaking at 41°C in Athens by midday, but the mercury on the Acropolis Hill that overlooks the Greek capital usually reaches higher due to its altitude and lack of shade.

In Athens and other Greek cities, working hours have changed for people to avoid the midday heat, while air-conditioned areas were opened to the public.

The intense heat in Spain‘s Canary Islands, which hit 37°C to 39°C in most areas and more than 41°C in Gran Canaria, will continue to exceed 35°C or 37°C on Friday, El Pais reported.

Rescue workers transport a visitor from the archaeological site of Acropolis to an ambulance the Acropolis in Athens on July 13, 2023, as Greece hits high temperatures. Greece's national weather service EMY on July 10, 2023, said a six-day heatwave would grip Greece starting July 12. (Photo by Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Rescue workers transport a visitor from the Acropolis to an ambulance as temperatures exceed 40°C in Athens (Photo: Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP via Getty Images)

Animals in the Madrid Zoo Aquarium were treated to frozen food to cool off amid the sweltering heat. Pandas and bears were fed watermelon ice lollies while seals ate frozen sardines and lions gnawed on frozen meat.

In Italy, temperatures were expected to hit 48°C in Sardinia and Sicily, and television ads encouraged city dwellers to look after their pets and check in regularly with elderly relatives.

The highest European temperature of 48.8°C was registered in Sicily in August 2021, and there is potential for that record to be broken in the coming days.

A bear eats frozen fruits on a hot and sunny day at the Madrid Zoo, Spain, Thursday, July 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Bears eat frozen fruit at the Madrid Zoo Aquarium in Spain (Photo: Manu Fernandez/AP)

Temperatures are likely to reach 40°C in Rome on Monday, while Naples, Palermo, Bologna, Venice and Florence could see highs of 38°C, according to the Italian Meteorological Service.

“Next week there will be an even stronger heatwave than this one, some values in the central south will be really freaky,” said Luca Lombroso, a meteorologist from the Ampro association of weather experts in Italy.

“Between Tuesday and Wednesday in Rome and Florence we will probably exceed 40 degrees, which will also be approached in the north,” he added.

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