If you have just stepped off the plane in Malta expecting a lovely, warm Mediterranean breeze, you might want to brace yourself because things are about to get seriously sweaty. The Met Office has just issued an official warning as a fierce heatwave builds, and Malta is getting a real roasting.

From now straight through until Thursday, daytime temperatures are skyrocketing to a steady 33°C. Because of the island’s infamous humidity, the Malta Met Office warns it is consistently going to feel like a blistering 35°C the moment you step outside. Things will only ease off by a single degree on Friday when the real feel drops to 34°C, before settling at a slightly more bearable 33°C real feel for the weekend.

The main thing you need to watch out for if you are out and about exploring is the UV index, which is hitting a massive level 10 for almost the entire week according to the local forecast. To put it bluntly, that is territory where you will get burnt to a crisp in ten minutes flat. It dips ever so slightly to a level 9 on Thursday, before bouncing right back up to a 10 for Friday and the rest of the weekend. If you are doing the classic tourist treks around Valletta or Mdina, standard sunscreen simply isn’t going to cut it. You will need to slap on the factor 50, grab a proper hat, and avoid underestimating how quickly the Maltese sun will catch you out, even if there is a slight coastal breeze blowing.

To handle the heat like a pro, you should consider doing what the locals do and staying out of the direct sun between 11:00 and 15:00. This is the perfect excuse to find an air-conditioned bistro for a long, lazy lunch, or head down to the nearest rocky cove for a dip in the sea. It is also incredibly easy to get dehydrated when it feels this hot, so make sure you keep a bottle of water on you at all times. Most local convenience stores and pastizzerijas have fridges packed with ice-cold bottles for a Euro or two.