The Andalusian province which is the only area in red on Spain's weather map on Friday

Temperatures are forecast to reach up to 44C during the day and the warning will remain in force from 1pm to 9pm.

The areas where temperatures are expected to be the highest are the Valle del Almanzora and Los Vélez, while the Nacimiento, Campo de Tabernas and eastern Almeria areas will be under an amber alert for up to 42C.

Meanwhile, the Poniente area of Almeria and Almeria city will be under a yellow warning for maximum temperatures of up to 38C, particularly in parts of the western interior.

The other province in Andalucía on alert this Friday is Malaga (amber level).

Other amber alerts in Spain will be active in Terual and Zaragoza, which are also under a yellow alert for thunderstorms.

Yellow alerts will have Huesca (also at risk from thunderstorms); Burgos in Castilla y León; Cuenca in Castilla-La Mancha, while Albacete is under an amber warning; Lleida (amber) and Girona and Barcelona (yellow) in Catalonia; Álava (yellow) in the Basque Country; Alicante and Valencia (yellow, the latter also for thunderstorms).

The heatwave will also trigger an amber alert for the Balearic Islands, Murcia, Navarre and La Rioja and a yellow alert for Ceuta, while rain and storms will pose a risk to Asturias and the Galician provinces of La Coruña, Lugo, Orense and Pontevedra.

The approach of a low-pressure system will bring unsettled weather to the north-west, with cloudy or overcast skies in Galicia and Asturias and showers and thunderstorms, locally accompanied by hail in the afternoon.

Partly cloudy or clear skies are expected elsewhere, with some patches of low cloud in the morning in parts of the Levante area and medium and high cloud in the south-east.

The Andalusian emergency agency (EMA) is urging the public to exercise extreme caution and has issued a series of recommendations to prevent heat-related incidents.

It advises drinking water regularly and consistently, at most every two hours, even if you do not feel thirsty.

People should pay particular attention to the elderly, those with chronic illnesses and young children, to ensure they drink plenty of water and avoid going outside during the hottest parts of the day. In addition, it is good to eat light, fresh meals during these hot spells and avoid heavy, very hot meals and alcohol.

Keeping windows, curtains and blinds that are most exposed to the sun closed during the hottest parts of the day and using a fan or air conditioning are also among the EMA's recommendations. If you do not have these appliances, stay in the coolest rooms in the house, take a bath or cool your skin with damp towels.

If you need to go out during the hottest parts of the day, you should use sun cream, wear a hat or a cap and wear approved sunglasses. It is also important to wear light-coloured, lightweight clothing and always carry a bottle of water, even when travelling by car.

Exercise and physical activity should take place in the early hours of the day or at dusk. Furthermore, the EMA reminds the public that no person or pet should ever be left inside a stationary vehicle, "not even for a moment".

Today's weather forecast for Malaga province