Heat warnings issued across Spain as nation sizzles

Spain’s meteorological agency AEMET has issued amber warnings for parts of the Canary Islands and yellow warnings across much of the south and centre of the peninsula.

"This last week of August is full on summer: clear skes, high temperatures and no rain,” explained Rubén del Campo, spokesman for Aemet. “And in the Canary Islands temperatures will be very high, at least until Thursday.”

The island of Gran Canaria could see the mercury top 43C.

The peninsula will be marked by sizzling temperatures and clear skies until Wednesday when the northern coast can expect some clouds and light rain although storms are expected to gather around the Pyrenees on Thursday.

This map shows that while Storm Francis batters the United Kingdom, Spain swelters in the heat with not a cloud above it.

By Friday the storms currently hitting northern Europe will hit Spain bringing torrential rain to northern parts of Spain sweeping east and reaching the Balearic Islands.

This new weather system will cause temperatures to plummet in the interior and north of Spain and the Pyrenees might even see a few flakes of snow.

The next graphic shows the forecast across Spain and the Balearic Islands until the weekend.