Beijing on Thursday recorded the hottest June day on record, the national weather service said. Temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in large parts of northern China.
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Rising temperatures around the world – mostly caused by the use of fossil fuels – are leading to more and more extreme weather conditions, scientists say. Deadly heat waves and record temperatures have hit many Asian countries in recent weeks.
At the Nanjiao Meteorological Station in southern Beijing, which serves as a benchmark for temperatures in the Chinese capital, mercury reached 41.1 °C (106 degrees Fahrenheit) at 15:19 (07:19 GMT) Thursday, as of the Weather Service announced in a press release also published by the public broadcaster CCTV.
This is half a degree above the station’s monthly record of 40.6°C set in June 1961 and behind the 41.9°C set in July 1999.
“This station has only had temperatures above 41°C three times since records began,” the weather service said, adding that “this scorching heat in Beijing will continue for the next two days, with temperatures reaching 38°C and 39°C become.” .
Other weather stations around the capital recorded even higher temperatures on Thursday, including Tanghekou in northern Beijing, which reached 41.8C in the early afternoon and was becoming the hottest place in the country, according to state media.
Along Beijing’s canals, residents tried to escape the scorching heat by swimming and splashing in the water.
AFP
In the nearby city of Tianjin, home to more than 13 million people, temperatures in the center have also risen sharply, with the western district of Xiqing recording the hottest June day on record at 40.6C.
Around 17 weather stations across the country recorded “extreme temperature records” on Thursday, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).
“Protect yourself from the sun”
“June has never been so hot, but now it’s so hot my hands are shaking,” wrote a user on Chinese social network Weibo.
“Are there three suns burning over Beijing right now? It’s hot enough to trigger depression,” said another.
The hot weather comes on the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival, a three-day celebration that sees many Chinese gather with family and friends.
High temperatures in northern China are expected to continue during the three holidays, particularly around Beijing and parts of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang.
“These current high-temperature weather systems are affecting large areas and are long-lasting,” said a commentator on state broadcaster CCTV.
Authorities have urged people to limit the time they spend outdoors, warning of the increased risk of heat stroke and other health problems.
The Beijing Weather Bureau issued an extreme heat warning, urging people to “refrain from outdoor exercise for long periods of time… and to take effective measures to protect themselves from the heat of the sun.”
In Tianjin, which was also on alert, officials said “the general public (should) remain vigilant and take precautions” against heat stroke.
Last week, Beijing recorded its highest temperature in mid-June. Weather officials urged people to stay home as the mercury temperature hit 39.4C.