As temperatures in the UK are set to rise above 30C next week, on continental Europe forecasters are predicting what may result in a record-breaking heatwave with temperatures expected to climb into the high thirties and may reach 40C in the hottest places.

Much of Europe will see at least one day of “intense heat” over the course of the week, forecasting service AccuWeather said, with a “core of heat” focused on the areas around southern Germany, east France, Switzerland, northern Italy and Austria.

“This will set the stage for a potentially dangerous heat wave to occur over a large portion of western and central Europe,” they said.

The highest temperatures during the heatwave are expected to be in Paris, Madrid, Prague, Munich and Zurich.

While most of France will experience “abnormally high temperatures”, according to weather service Météo France, in the north, Normandy and Brittany will see persistent thunderstorms with temperatures “below normal”.

Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Show all 30 1 /30 Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens A house threatened by a huge blaze during a wildfire in Kineta AFP/Getty Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens A woman reacts as she tries to find her dog Reuters Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens A helicopter flies over a wildfire raging in the town of Rafina, near Athens REUTERS Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens An aerial view shows burnt houses following a wildfire in the village of Mati AFP/Getty Images Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Firefighters, soldiers and local residents carry a hose as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina REUTERS Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens A man walks on the beach where burned trees hug the coastline in Mati east of Athens AP Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens People bring supplies for residents rescued from the wildfire in the village of Nea Makri AP Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Flames rise as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina AFP/Getty Images Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Firefighters carry a dead person AFP/Getty Images Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras speaks to the media during his visit to the fire brigade's operational center in Athens EPA Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens An aerial view of a burnt urban area following fire in Kineta Hellenic Ministry of Defence/AFP/Getty Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Firefighters, soldiers and local residents carry a hose as a wildfire burns in the town of Rafina, near Athens, Greece, July 23, 2018. REUTERS/Costas Baltas COSTAS BALTAS Reuters Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Residents react as they look at their burned house EPA Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Rescuers and volunteers push an inflatable boat as locals are evacuated REUTERS Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens An aerial view of an urban area burnt following fire in Mati Hellenic Ministry of Defence/AFP/Getty Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens A firefighter sprays water on the fire in the town of Mati, east of Athens, Monday, July 23, 2018. Regional authorities have declared a state of emergency in the eastern and western parts of the greater Athens area as fires fanned by gale-force winds raged through pine forests and seaside settlements on either side of the Greek capital. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Thanassis Stavrakis AP Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Asimina Psalti, 87, reacts as she sits outside her burned house in Mati east of Athens AP Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens A burnt forest following a wildfire in the village of Neos Voutzas AFP/Getty Images Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens People cover their faces from the smoke that fills the sky near Kineta AP Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Smoke rise over an avenue during a forest fire in Neo Voutsa, a northeast suburb of Athens EPA Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Melted metals from burned cars after a fire in Argyra Akti, Mati EPA Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Firefighters look for missing persons REUTERS Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Smoke fills the sky as members of the emergency services block a road near Kineta, west of Athens AP Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Burnt cars at the village of Mati AFP/Getty Images Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Cars are blocked at the closed National Road AFP/Getty Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens A woman sprays water outside her house that was damaged in the wildfires near the village of Neos Voutzas AP Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Smoke from a wildfire burning outside Athens is seen over the Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill REUTERS Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens An aerial view shows burnt houses following a wildfire in the village of Mati AFP/Getty Images Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens Flames are seen next to firefighting vehicle during a forest fire in Neo Voutsa EPA Greece wildfire: deadly blaze rages across holiday resorts near Athens People look inside a burnt car REUTERS

Both AccuWeather and Météo France predict Wednesday to be the hottest day, before temperatures fall somewhat by the weekend.

The cause of the heatwave is due to several elements, including a phenomenon called “polar amplification”, in which rising temperatures north of the Arctic Circle trigger unusual weather patterns which can weaken and divert the jet stream from its usual course.

Meanwhile a large area of high pressure over central Europe and a large storm over the Atlantic is expected to pull hot air from Africa north, in a weather event known as a “Saharan bubble”.

In Germany Der Spiegel reported: “It is extremely hot in Germany,” while German forecaster Dominik Jung told Bild: “Three days in a row with up to 40 degrees. And in June. That hasn’t happened before. The Saharan nozzle blows its hot air directly to us. And the sun is at its highest so temperatures can build for longer.”

He added: “I have never seen weather maps showing temperatures to this extent in my time as a certified meteorologist. I have been doing this job since 2002.”

The German government’s weather service has issued a public health guide for dealing with the “dark side” of summer, and advised against drinking alcohol during the heatwave and for people to take particular care of young children and the elderly.

Bild recommended to its readers they have a siesta during the early afternoons, and to put their pyjamas in the freezer to help keep cool at night.

Scientists have estimated the effects of climate change have made extreme heatwaves in Europe up to five times more likely to occur in some places in Europe, and twice as likely in others.

Last year a preliminary study of data collected from stations across northern Europe by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) network confirmed climate scientists’ fears that the heat has been exacerbated by global warming.

“The logic that climate change will do this is inescapable – the world is becoming warmer and so heatwaves like this are becoming more common,” said Dr Friederike Otto, deputy director of the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford.