New weather maps suggest that two holiday destinations adored by British tourists may soon be engulfed by suffocating heat.

Maps released by WXCharts, which uses MetDestk data, show the Italian peninsula dark red and even near-black in some areas invested by the hottest temperatures.

On the evening of July 16, only a few areas near the Alps in northern Italy will enjoy temperatures in the lower to mid 20sC, according to one map.

Most of the rest of Italy will instead bake under 30C and over. The regions of Lazio in central Italy and Sicily in the south will reach 40C - while the mercury in Basilicata, also in the south, may hit 42C, the map shows.

Italy is already experiencing this week temperatures in the mid-30s across its territory, which has prompted the government to issue Level 2 alerts for July 10 in 13 cities.

This level, the second highest, warns people that the temperatures may be dangerous to people's health, particularly when it comes to the most vulnerable categories.

Another map shows southern France is set to experience similar blistering conditions also on July 16.

While the northern part of the country is to enjoy temperatures in the lower to mid-20sC, according to the map, the southern regions could see the mercury hit 38C in the area between Occitaine and the Cote d'Azur. 

Mediterranean nations have been hit particularly hard by a long-lasting heatwave this summer.

Temperatures in Greece have peaked at 44C in mid-June and look set to return to that level again in the third week of July.

The British Red Cross has urged travellers set to visit heat-battered countries to be mindful of the temperatures, stating: "Extreme heat can be deadly."

The organisation's website read: "Studies have reported that 61,000 people died because of Europe’s record-breaking heatwave in 2023. And with the effects of climate change, it’s likely heatwaves will become more frequent and intense."