A relentless heat wave continues to grip large parts of the Chinese mainland, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in several regions. The National Meteorological Center renewed an orange alert for high temperatures on Thursday morning, forecasting that multiple areas will experience daytime temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius.
In northwestern Shaanxi Province, eight weather stations recorded all-time high temperatures on Tuesday, prompting several locations to issue red alerts for extreme heat. Cities like Xi’an, Baoji, Xianyang, Weinan, Hanzhong, and Ankang baked under scorching heat that persisted into Wednesday. The provincial meteorological center predicts scattered rainfall starting from Thursday, offering potential relief from the prolonged heatwave.
Neighboring Shanxi Province upgraded its high-temperature alert to the highest red level on Tuesday. In Yuncheng City, where the outdoor temperature surpassed 40 degrees Celsius, local authorities intensified cooling measures, including street spraying. Rest stations equipped with free water and air conditioning were opened to the public. The weather forecast indicates that temperatures could exceed 42 degrees Celsius in the southern part of the province.
Turpan, known as the “fire stove” of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, issued an orange alert as temperatures are expected to climb over 40 degrees Celsius from Wednesday to Sunday. Some areas might even experience heat exceeding 45 degrees Celsius. Local authorities have increased police patrols to ensure traffic safety amid the scorching conditions and have introduced cooling stations for residents.
In Zhengzhou City of central China’s Henan Province, the meteorological agency issued an orange alert on Wednesday. Due to health concerns, local departments implemented working regulations to cope with the heatwave, enforcing staggered shifts among outdoor laborers to avoid peak heat hours.
As of noon on Wednesday, a total of 20,248 high-temperature alerts had been issued nationwide, marking an over 40 percent increase compared to the same period last year and a 72 percent rise over the average for this period since 2017.
According to meteorological data, starting Thursday, a cold front and rainfall are expected to ease heat conditions in eastern regions. After Friday, high temperatures are forecast to decline rapidly, moving from north to south. However, the relief may be less significant in central provinces like Henan and Hubei, where the heat is expected to persist due to the eastward trajectory of the cold air mass.
