Weather forecasters are predicting the hottest August for years in the southern part of Europe, with temperatures expected to rise over 40 degrees Celsius even in Malta.

With many complaining that summer has not yet settled in as July has been characterised by cloudy days and strong winds, August could live up to its name as the hottest month of the year.

And hot it is expected to be.

A heat wave is expected to hit Malta hard as from next week as hot air moves across the Mediterranean Sea to France and up to Britain from the Sahara Desert.

Forecasting models revealed a bizarrely long, jet stream - associated with very hot weather - heading straight for Europe.

Other European countries are bracing for a few hot weeks after rainy spells sometimes leading to floods have hit places like Italy and France.