After a summer of extreme weather, China faces the hottest August in over 60 years.
China’s National Meteorological Center renewed a yellow alert for high temperatures on Sep. 6, as heat continues to scorch multiple regions of the country after a record-hot August.
Some areas in Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian and Sichuan will see their temperatures reach 35 to 36 °C on September 6th. Maximum temperatures could reach up to 39 °C in parts of Anhui, Hubei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Sichuan.
Outdoor activities should be avoided, and precautionary measures should be taken to protect vulnerable groups such as senior citizens and children, the center said.
China had gone through its hottest August since 1961, Jia Xiaolong, deputy director of the National Climate Center, said on Sep.5.
August saw extreme weather across China. The average temperature for August in China was 22.6°C, or 1.5°C higher than the same period in a typical year. Southern regions in particular saw prolonged widespread high temperatures.
Meanwhile, China’s northern regions experienced frequent and severe heavy rainfall events.
“Eighteen national meteorological stations recorded daily maximum temperatures that reached or exceeded historical records,” Jia said.
In terms of rainfall, Jia said the national average precipitation in August was 97.3 mm, 9.2 percent less than the same period of a normal year. There was more precipitation in the north and less in the south this summer.
Chongqing and Sichuan provinces in southwestern China have faced very high temperatures. The autumn semester of some primary and secondary schools are delayed due to ongoing heat waves. In Chongqing, all districts and counties issued notices delaying the start of the fall semester until Sep. 9.
Education authorities in several cities in Sichuan, including Zigong, Leshan, Nanchong, Suining, Luzhou, Ziyang, and Dazhou, have also postponed the start of the semester for schools. Most of them will now start classes on Sep. 9, about a week later than originally planned.
High temperatures were common in recent days, with temperatures in some areas exceeding 40 °C. Chongqing, often referred to as China’s “furnace city” due to its sweltering summers, was under a red alert for high temperatures for 12 consecutive days from Aug 21 to Sept 1.
This autumn heat follows a summer of extreme weather across the country. July was also the country’s hottest month since records began in 1961. Seasonal rains during the summer also caused flooding in parts of the country. Multiple provinces faced flooding leaving 10,000 people affected.
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Written by Gu Yetao, additional reporting by Xinhua and China Daily.
