After a cool spring, and talk that summer would not arrive in 2013, southern and central Spain are now experiencing soaring temperatures.

On Thursday, Spain's weather agency AEMET issued an alert saying temperatures could climb as high as 42 degrees in the interior of the south west of the country.

In areas including Castile and León, Galicia (except for the far north), and the Ebro Valley, temperatures could hit a slightly more bearable 34 to 38 degrees.

In the rest of the country, temperatures between 28 and 34 degrees are expected.

The Canary Islands, meanwhile, will see temperatures above 35 degrees from July 9th on.

With a high pressure system only slowing making its way north towards the British Isles, forecasters say it will be at least a week before relief comes .