A "heat storm" is spreading across southern Europe, a health warning has been issued

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Italy has warned about extreme heat in 16 cities, saying temperatures will reach record highs in southern Europe soon. Spain, Italy, and Greece have been very hot, harming crops and making tourists seek shade. A new high-pressure system named Charon, after a figure in Greek mythology, has come from North Africa, and temperatures in Italy might go above 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) this week.

The Italian weather service, Meteo.it, said there will be a strong heatwave covering the whole country, breaking old heat records in some places.

Greece closed the ancient Acropolis on Friday during the hottest time to keep tourists safe. Italy's Health Minister, Orazio Schillaci, warned people, especially the elderly, to be careful when visiting places like the Colosseum during extreme heat, suggesting staying indoors between 11 am and 6 pm.

DEHYDRATION

Warnings about health have been issued in many places in Italy, from Florence to Palermo and Bari. It's getting hot even in the north. People are saying this heat is unusual for this time of year. Federico Bratti, who was by Lake Garda, said, "This is not normal."

In Spain, they're worried about forest fires because it's so hot. The nights are also warm and making it hard to sleep as temperatures won't go below 25 degrees Celsius. The heat will get stronger, reaching 44 degrees Celsius near Seville.

On the Spanish island of La Palma, 4,000 people had to leave because a forest fire was spreading fast after the heat wave. Meteorologists think the highest recorded temperature in Europe, 48.8 degrees Celsius in Sicily two years ago, might be beaten, especially in Sardinia.

The heat has also reached Israel, where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got sick and had to go to the hospital. He asked people to spend less time in the sun and drink more water.

Even in the United States, it's very hot. Many people, about a quarter of the population, are under extreme heat warnings, from the Pacific Northwest down to California, through the Southwest to the Deep South and Florida.