If you were in certain parts of Germany, Belgium or the Netherlands yesterday, you may have experienced temperatures that nobody has experienced there in recorded history. And there's good chance it will be hotter today.
In Kleine Brogel, Belgium, temperatures hit 39.9°C (102°F), marginally higher than the previous national record of 38.8°C (101.8°F) set in June 1947. Belgium has now issued a code red (the highest) weather warning for the whole of the country.
Meanwhile in the Netherlands, the Dutch meteorological service, KNMI reported that "Nationaal hitterecord na 75 jaar verbroken", which even with limited Dutch you can probably guess means that the national heat record has been broken after 75 years. A new record was set at 38.8°C (101.8°F) in Gilze-Rijen, North Brabant. It was then smashed again when temperatures in Eindhoven hit 39.4°C (102.7°F) later the same day. The previous record was set in August 1944, at 38.6°C (101.5F). The Netherlands is currently set at code orange.
Meanwhile, in Germany, the German Meteorological Service (DWD) recorded their own record temperatures as Geilenkirchen hit 40.5°C (104.9°F), higher than their previous record of 40.3°C (104.5°F) set in Kitzingen in July 2015. The new record might not last long, however, with temperatures predicted to be hotter than that today by the service. Heat alerts have been issued for the whole country, bar a tiny patch in the North East.
If you were in other countries in Europe and think you're missing out on the apocalyptic temperatures, fear not. Today is predicted to see even more records broken across the continent. It is, to quote a British sketch show and apparently also BBC Weather, scorchio.
The UK, which today broke its record for hottest July temperature ever, may see its national temperature record of 38.5°C (101.3°F) – set in August 2003 – broken too, with temperatures of up to 39°C (102.2°F) forecast in the south. The high temperatures already seen in the country have been blamed for burst water pipes leaving thousands without water.
In France, which is also expected to see record-breaking highs today, five deaths have been linked to the heatwave, the BBC Reports. Last month it recorded its highest temperature ever, a sweltering 45.9°C (114.6°F), declaring a red alert temperature warning for the first time ever. It is still on red alert.
If the heatwave is getting to you, here's a positive spin you can put on the whole situation.