Alvaro Barrientos, The Associated PressPeople cool of with water from a fountain during a hot summer day, in the basque city of Vitoria, northern Spain, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018. Hot air from Africa is bringing a heat wave to Europe, prompting health warnings about Sahara Desert dust and exceptionally high temperatures that could peak at 47 degrees Celsius in Spain and Portugal.
Michael Probst, The Associated PressWithered sunflowers in Wehrheim near Frankfurt, Germany, Tuesday, July 31, 2018.
Ben Birchall, PA via APPeople relax on Woolacombe Beach as another spell of warm weather hits the UK, in North Devon, England, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018.
Patrick Seeger, AFP/Getty ImagesA picture taken on July 30, 2018 shows a thermometer reaching almost 35 degrees Celsius (or 95 degrees Fahrenheit) in the German southern city of Freiburg.
Francisco Seco, The Associated PressA man cools off in a public fountain at the Retiro park in Madrid, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018.
Mads Claus Rasmussen , Ritzau Scanpix / AFPLocal firefighters spray water to cool down elephants of the Arene circus due to high temperatures on Aug. 2, 2018 in Gilleleje, Denmark.
Antonio Calanni. The Associated PressChildren refresh as they play at a fountain in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018.
Fabrice Coffrini, AFP/Getty ImagesA boy jumps into Geneva Lake in Saint Saphorin, western Switzerland, above a tourist protecting herself from the sun with an umbrella as a heatwave is sweeping across northern Europe on July 31, 2018.
Pierre-philippe Marcou, AFP/Getty ImagesA female orangutan covers her head with a sheet on a warm summer day at Madrid´s zoo on Aug. 4, 2018. Europe sweltered in intense heat with temperatures hitting near-record highs of 46 degrees Celsius in Portugal, while elsewhere the high temperatures, exacerbated fires and melted the asphalt on highways.
Chris J Ratcliffe, Getty ImagesTwo rowers pass as couple play catch with a ball whilst swimming in the River Stour as high temperatures resume in the south east on Aug. 4, 2018 in Forwich, United Kingdom.
Paul Ellis, AFP/Getty ImagesA picture shows a parched section of the Wayoh Reservoir spanned by the Armsgrove Viaduct at Edgworth near Bolton, northwest England, on Aug. 1, 2018 as dry and hot conditions were set to continue in much of Britain.
Michael Probst, The Associated PressA young woman chills out in front of the Old Opera in Frankfurt, Germany, on a hot Monday, July 30, 2018.
Pascal Guyot, AFP/Getty ImagesTourists refresh their feet in a pool during a heatwave in Montpellier on Aug. 2, 2018.
Alvaro Barrientos, The Associated PressPeople play with a ball at La Concha beach during a hot summer day in the basque city of San Sebastian, northern Spain, Friday, Aug. 3, 2018.
Manu Fernandez. The Associated PressPeople sunbathe on a beach during a hot summer day in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018.
Andreas Solaro, AFP/Getty ImagesMembers of the Italian Civil Protection distribute water bottles to people in front of the Ancient Colosseum, in central Rome on Aug. 2, 2018.
Jan Woitas, AFP/Getty ImagesA woman dives into the water at the Markkleeberger lake on July 31, 2018 in Markkleeberg near Leipzig, eastern Germany.
Peter Kneffel, AFP/Getty ImagesPeople enjoy a summer day in the water and on a gravel bank along the river Isar in Munich, southern Germany, on July 31, 2018 as the country experiences a hot and dry summer.
Valery Hache, AFP/Getty ImagesPeople sit on a bench while people parasail on the beach as a heatwave is sweeping across northern Europe on Aug. 1, 2018 in Nice, on the French Riviera.
Christof Stache, AFP/Getty ImagesA man sits in a rubber duck the water of the lake Ammersee near the small Bavarian village of Utting, southern Germany, as the heatwave in Europe continues with temperatures reaching over 30 degrees Celcius during the late afternoon on Aug. 4, 2018.
Gerard Julien, AFP/Getty ImagesPeople cool themselves at The Trocadero Fountain in Paris on Aug. 2, 2018, as a heatwave continues across northern Europe.
Francisco Seco, The Associated PressA man wearing a Mario Bros costume takes a break from work posing for tourist photos in the shade at Sol square in Madrid, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018.
Peter Kneffel, AFP/Getty ImagesA sunbather relaxes on a gravel bank in the river Isar in Munich, southern Germany on Aug. 1, 2018.
Andreas Solaro, AFP/Getty ImagesPeople take water from a kiosk designed in the style of the hexagonal newspaper stands in front of the Ancient Colosseum, in central Rome on Aug. 2, 2018.
Alvaro Barrientos, The Associated PressPeople cool off with water from a fountain during a hot summer day, in the basque city of Vitoria, northern Spain, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018.
Sebastien Bozon, AFP/Getty ImagesA zookeeper prepares animal snacks of frozen fruits at the zoo in Mulhouse on Aug. 3, 2018, as parts of Europe continue to swelter in an ongoing heatwave.
Jean-francois Monier, AFP/Getty ImagesTaiko, an 8-year-old male polar bear cools off with a snack of frozen fruits in a pool at the zoo in La Fleche, north-western France on Aug. 4, 2018.
John Macdougall, AFP/Getty ImagesA man cools off in a fountain in front of the Berlin Cathedral as the heatwave in Europe continues with temperatures reaching 33 degrees Celsius in Berlin on Aug. 4, 2018.
Heikki Saukkomaa, AFP/Getty ImagesA woman reads next to shelves offering beverages in a local grocery store that invites customers for a sleepover to cool off as the heatwave in Europe continues, in Helsinki, on August 4, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Lehtikuva / Heikki Saukkomaa / Finland OUTHEIKKI SAUKKOMAA/AFP/Getty Images
Karl-josef Hildenbrand, AFP/Getty ImagesDried leaves of red cabbage are pictured on a field in Prosselsheim, on Aug. 5, 2018 as the heatwave in Europe continues.
Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt, AFP/Getty ImagesPeople cool off in water fountains at the Parc Andre Citroen in Paris on Aug. 5, 2018, as a heatwave sweeps across Europe.
Ralf Hirschberger, dpa via APVisitors of a public pool are photographed from a small plane in Kleinmachnow, eastern Germany, Wednesday, Aug.1, 2018. (Ralf Hirschberger/dpa via AP)
Alvaro Barrientos, The Associated PressTwo women jump from a platform over the water at La Concha beach during a hot summer day in the basque city of San Sebastian, northern Spain, Friday, Aug. 3, 2018.
Alvaro Barrientos, The Associated Press
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People cool of with water from a fountain during a hot summer day, in the basque city of Vitoria, northern Spain, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018. Hot air from Africa is bringing a heat wave to Europe, prompting health warnings about Sahara Desert dust and exceptionally high temperatures that could peak at 47 degrees Celsius in Spain and Portugal.
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By Jeff Neumann | jneumann@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED:
Getting your player ready...
Europe is hoping blistering heat will lose its grip next week on the continent after Portugal recorded highs at around 117 degrees Fahrenheit Saturday. The hottest temperature ever recorded in continental Europe was more than 118 degrees in Athens, Greece in 1979.