Beijing Sizzles With the Hottest Summer Alert

Beijing, China’s capital city, is currently grappling with scorching temperatures as it upgraded its hot weather warning to the highest level, denoted by the colour “red” in the country’s alert system. Read more.

Numerous regions within the Chinese capital are experiencing sweltering conditions, with the mercury soaring up to 40 degrees Celsius. The Beijing Municipal Meteorological Observatory reported that the official temperature, measured from the observatory in the southern suburbs, surpassed 40 degrees Celsius shortly after 1:30 PM local time on Friday.

At a press briefing, Zhang Yingxin, the chief forecaster of the Municipal Meteorological Observatory, revealed that this is the first instance in the observatory’s history, which dates back to its establishment in 1951, where there have been consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

The scorching heatwave broke records on Thursday when the maximum temperature in the city, home to nearly 22 million people, surpassed 41 degrees Celsius, marking the hottest June day.

The southern suburbs considered the primary gauge for Beijing’s temperature, recorded a blistering 41.1 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, surpassing the previous June high of 40.6 degrees Celsius registered on June 10, 1961. Thursday’s maximum temperature ranked as the city’s second-highest in history, just slightly below the record of 41.9 degrees Celsius set on July 24, 1999.

China follows a four-tier weather alert system, with red being extreme, followed by orange, yellow, and blue. The red alert signifies that temperatures are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius within the next 24 hours.

The China Meteorological Administration stated that high temperatures are anticipated to persist in northern regions of the country for the next eight to ten days. Consequently, monitoring and warnings for high temperatures will remain in effect in various areas, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, and Inner Mongolia.

Tianjin, a major port city in northern China with a population of over 13 million, also witnessed extreme heat on Thursday, with temperatures soaring to 41.2 degrees Celsius, surpassing local historical records.

Local authorities have cautioned residents about the potential health impacts of prolonged high temperatures, such as an increased risk of stroke, and advised individuals to consume at least 1.5 litres of water daily and limit outdoor activities.

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