Heatwave conditions to prevail in US, Europe and Japan; mercury to go above 40 degrees Celsius

According to an AFP report, the US National Weather Service warned of an "extremely hot and dangerous weekend" in areas stretching from California to Texas.

The weatherman predicted the daytime highs to range between 10 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal in the west.

Arizona is one of the hardest-hit states with the state capital Phoenix recorded 16 straight days above 109F (43 degrees Celsius), with temperatures hitting 111F on Saturday en route to an expected 115F.

California's Death Valley, known for being one of the hottest places on earth, recorded a temperature of 54 degrees.

In Canada, the government said wildfires burned a record-breaking 10 million hectares this year, with more damage expected as the summer lingers on, according to the report.

The mercury is likely to hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in Rome by Monday and even 43C on Tuesday, smashing the record of 40.5C set in August 2007.

The European Space Agency warned -- "potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe".

Islands of Sicily and Sardinia are likely to experience under temperatures as high as 48C, the agency said.

Greece's top tourist attractions—the Athens Acropolis—will close on Sunday during the hottest hours for the third day running.

France is staring at a drought due to high temperatures. The country just witnessed the second-hottest June, according to the national weather agency, and several areas of the country have been under a heatwave alert since Tuesday.

Spain’s meteorological agency warned Saturday that a new heatwave Monday through Wednesday will bring temperatures above 40C to the Canary Islands and the southern Andalusia region, stated the report.

Meanwhile, temperatures in Japan are also expected to reach 38 to 39C on Sunday and Monday, with the meteorological agency warning temperatures could hit previous records.