Temperatures will hit 40C inland on Thursday, the met office said on Wednesday as it issued a yellow alert – the second in as many days – for extreme hot weather.

The warning is in force from 11.00 am to 4.00 pm on Thursday. High temperatures are expected to ease on Friday, before rising again over the weekend to above the seasonal average.

In its late afternoon weather forecast, the met office said that Thursday will be mainly fine with increased clouds at intervals. Temperatures will rise to 40C inland, 34C on the south, east and north coasts and 30C on the west coast and the mountains.

Friday will be mainly fine with possible increased local cloud, mainly in the mountains. It will be mainly fine on Saturday and Sunday, it added.

Maximum temperatures at 3.00 pm on Wednesday ranged from 39C in Nicosia to 29C in Prodromos. Though recording the highest temperature, Nicosia had the lowest humidity at 34 per cent. The highest humidity – 72 per cent — was recorded at Paphos Airport.