A Code Red alert is declared for 3 Bulgarian regions on Sunday, while the rest of the country is under code orange over the forecast for scorching heat.

The forecast is issued by the National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BAS.

Code Red for dangerous heat is issued for the very first time in Bulgaria since the system was introduced and is effective for the regions of Pleven, Ruse and Veliko Tarnovo where the mercury will hit the 43 Celsius mark.

Code Red is declared for temperatures above 41C. It means the weather is extremely dangerous with very intense meteorological events and possibility for damage and casualties.

Code orange means intense weather situations with potential damage, injuries and casualties.

People are advised to not venture outside, especially around noon and during the afternoon; to strictly follow the directions of the authorities and be prepared for emergency measures. Plenty of water is to be drunk.

Temperatures in the rest of Bulgaria are to reach anywhere between 37 and 42 degrees Celsius, (37C-38C in the capital Sofia), with uncomfortable heat and muggy air.

The weather on the Black Sea Coast will be sunny. Temperatures will be between 33C and 34C degrees and 25-28C for the sea waters.

The weather people say they do not expect the scorcher to have a repeat this summer, and assure there is nothing unusual in the high temperatures, even though they are dangerous. According to them, such heat wave occurs on average every five years. In Bulgaria, the most recent heat wave was recorded in July 2007 when the mercury reached 45C in some locations.

The absolute temperature record in Bulgaria was measured in 1916 in the village of Sadovo, near the second largest city of Plovdiv.

Cooler air, accompanied by some rain in the afternoon and evening, bringing some relief is expected Monday.

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