New Delhi, June 17 -- Europe is bracing for a major spell of extreme heat this week, with forecasters warning that daytime temperatures across large parts of the continent could climb as much as 10 degrees Celsius above seasonal norms. The UK Met Office has flagged Spain, France and Italy as the regions likely to be hit hardest, with mercury levels in these countries expected to touch the 40 degC mark in the coming days.

Why Is Europe Heating Up

According to weather experts, the spike in temperatures is being driven by a combination of factors: a mass of hot air pushing northward from the Sahara Desert and a stable high-pressure system sitting over the region. Together, these conditions are trapping heat over central and western Europe,...