The heat waves in Europe continue. Record temperatures - up to 39 degrees C are expected in the UK today.

The Netherlands has set an all-time temperature record, while temperatures across France, England, Belgium, and Germany are expected to peak on Thursday. 

Countries are on high alert as Paris, France, could reach 42 C (107.6 F), while parts of Germany could reach 41 C (105.8 F), and parts of Belgium are forecast to reach 40 C (104 F), Insider reported.

For the second time this month, the continent is experiencing the effects of a high pressure system which is drawing hot air from the Sahara desert. This air is trapped between colder stormy systems and is forming a "little heat dome" over Europe, according to Ryan Maue, a private meteorologist in the US.

Scientists say this could become the new norm.

Declan Finney, a research fellow at the University of Leeds, said:

"With further climate change there could be a 50% chance of having hot summers in future. "That's similar to saying that a normal summer in future will be as hot as our hottest summers to date."

Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann said:

"Either of the two European heatwaves this summer would have been remarkable in isolation. "But now we are seeing multiple episodes of record heat in a given summer. By mid-century, we will simply call these episodes 'summer' - if we continue on this trajectory.", according to Sky News.

This is the second hot wave on the Continent, within a month, and it will become a regularity, experts say. In their view, this is a direct consequence of climate change.