Britons have been warned about using hire cars as Europe continues to boil under intense heatwaves. In recent days, the continent has been baked by temperatures. Spain has been particularly affected, with temperatures reaching as high as 46C in El Granado.
More scorching temperatures are expected later this month, with weather maps showing much of the country in an ominous dark red with the mercury rarely dropping below 32C. As a result, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has issued travel warnings for Spain as well as other affected Turkey, Greece and Cyprus.
With this in mind, founder and CEO of My Budget Break Paul Scott, has warned Brits considering hiring cars in the region. Paul told Express.co.uk: “If you’ve hired a car while you’re abroad, ditch it for the day. On a 40C day, the inside of a car can heat up to over 60C within an hour, with the steering wheel potentially causing minor burns.”
And it’s not just driving a car that tourists should be wary of. Paul also offered guidance on going for a tempting swim to cool off from the record-breaking temperatures.
He said: “Most of us will only dip our shoulders under the surface, so a lot more radiation will get through during these hot days. So always have UV sun protection of at least 30SPF. Key closures are for services like schools, but you’ll generally find that a lot of the tourist shops and bars will remain open.
“Places like Barcelona have public announcements on the beach with extra advice on the precautions to take, like not spending time in the sunshine between 12-4pm.”
Paul’s warnings come as both Spain and England confirmed they had experienced their hottest Junes on record. Aemet, Spain’s weather service, said their average recorded temperature of 23.6C had “pulverised records” and exceeded the average temperatures for July and August.
With concerns that temperatures could only rise further in the months to come, experts have been providing guidance on alternative holiday spots.
Speaking to the Express earlier this week, Vacay Weather’s Sara Thornton and John Hammond suggested heading to northern parts of Spain to avoid the worst of the heat.
Commenting on the growing trend of hotter and hotter summers, John explained the trends that could be to come. He said: “This summer we are already seeing repeated domes of extreme heat expanding northwards across Europe – a pattern that will be the hallmark of future decades.
“And as the globe warms, the climate of southern Europe and the Mediterranean will increasingly take on the characteristics of north Africa.
“This will nudge British tourists northward in retreat from unbearable heat in summer, restricting the appeal of southern destinations to the seasonally cooler times of the year. Indeed there is evidence that tourists are already increasingly looking for cooler holiday destinations.”