Stock up on sunscreen and make sure you drink plenty of water – Switzerland is going to see temperatures around 35C this weekend, according to meteorologists.

The mercury is set to climb as early as Friday. “In some places it will hit 30C,” Roger Perret from Meteo News told Swiss newspaper Blick.

It is forecast to get even hotter at the weekend, with up to 33C expected in Zurich on Saturday and 35C on Sunday. In the rest of Switzerland, it’s a similar picture with the likes of Geneva and Bern also seeing soaring temperatures. 

Locally the temperatures could climb even higher. In Basel, it’s forecast to reach 36C on Sunday. 

The hot weather comes as festival season in Switzerland continues. 

Both Zurich’s festival, Züri Fäscht, and the annual hip hop event, Openair Frauenfeld, are taking place over the weekend.

Revellers are being urged to make sure they take precautions in the heat. 

READ ALSO: How you can make the most of the hectic Swiss summer

Much of Europe is experience sweltering temperatures, with southern Spain set to see temperatures in the 40Cs.

“Now the heat is being transported by a long-drawn south-westerly flow over southern France towards Switzerland,” Perret said. 

According to forecasters there is also likely be a few thunderstorms in Switzerland in the coming days and possibly the weekend which may cool things down, at least for a period of time.

But it’s not yet possible to predict where and how strong the storms will be. 

What is clear, though, is that next week will remain warm, at least initially. 

“Depending on the weather model, it’s unlikely for areas to drop under the 30C mark until Tuesday,” said Perret.