Weather experts from the Met Office have warned of 50 degree summers after temperature records were broken.
The forecaster's site pointed to Syracuse in Sicily, Italy, which exceeded the previous European highest temperature with a record of 48.8°C yesterday.
If the record is confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization experts from the Met Office s aid it would break the previous record of 48.0°C in Athens in 1977.
But the baking hot record has raised concerns that higher temperatures are possible in future and could overtake 50.0C.
Professor Peter Stott, the Met Office ’s lead on climate attribution, has studied European heatwaves for nearly two decades, including record-breaking periods in 2003 and 2019.
He said: “Climate change is making heat-related extremes of weather more intense and when we think about those record-breaking temperature the chance of breaking temperature records – or coming close to breaking records – is greatly increased."
Professor Stott said record-breaking temperatures in June 2019 saw France exceed 45.0°C for the first time.
He also said Met Office analysis found higher temperatures were "five times more likely" because of climate change.
Climate change has made rising temperatures more extreme.
Professor Stott said in the blog: “The chances each summer of seeing really extreme temperatures are pretty high now.
"We can’t say exactly when it is likely to happen, but Europe will need to prepare for the eventuality of further records being broken with temperatures above 50.0°C being possible in Europe in future, most likely close to the Mediterranean where the influence of hot air from North Africa is strongest.”
According to the Met Office, the average temperature has risen by around 1.1°C since the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), but in some regions this has increased by more.
The blog cites an example where an average temperature in North Africa has increased by around 2.0°C over the same period.
Chris Almond, a meteorologist with the office's Global Guidance Unit said: “This weather situation is not particularly unusual, high pressure often sits over these areas in the summer – it’s the temperatures which are more unusual, which are the result of many factors coming together at the same time."
“With climate change, we are expecting, and are already seeing, more frequent and severe events, and will continue to do in the future.”
In the central Mediterranean, the temperatures are increasing after extreme conditions in Greece and Turkey last week.
The boiling hot temperatures are expected to extend into Iberia and Morocco through the next couple of days and further records could come in the coming days with wildfires taking over many areas.
Mr Almond added: “A high wildfire threat continues, which could result in the rapid spread of new fires and limit containment activities of existing fires.
"It will be next week before temperatures are expected to slowly decrease across the region.
“Adverse human health impacts are likely, particularly to those exposed to the extreme heat for prolonged periods or are part of vulnerable population groups.
"This is combined with poor air quality in some places due to ongoing wildfires and smoke.”
