China faces season’s strongest heatwave and torrential rains simultaneously
China is in the grip of the strongest heatwave of the year, with central and eastern regions enduring extreme temperatures expected to peak from Friday to Saturday. The National Meteorological Center on Friday issued a high-temperature yellow alert, warning that highs could exceed 40 C in parts of Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Hubei, and Zhejiang.
Meanwhile, parts of the Sichuan Basin could see heavy downpours, and rainfall in Northeast China will intensify on Friday, according to CCTV News.
Major cities including Jinan, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Nanjing, and Nanchang are likely to record consecutive days of scorching heat over the next week, while Hangzhou could hit 40 C on July 6, potentially breaking the city's record for the earliest occurrence of such extreme heat. Even where actual temperatures fall below 35 C, rising humidity across Northeast and North China is expected to push the apparent temperature above 35 C, creating stifling conditions.
Authorities have urged the elderly, children, and other vulnerable groups to avoid going out during peak heat, ensure adequate ventilation indoors, and stay hydrated. Outdoor workers are advised to take regular breaks, carry heat-protection supplies, and arrange schedules carefully to prevent heatstroke, according to the CCTV News.
Meanwhile, the same subtropical high is causing contrasting weather on its periphery. Heavy rainfall has battered western parts of the Sichuan Basin, the Liaodong Peninsula, and several northern provinces. On Friday, extremely heavy downpours hit areas including Mianyang, Deyang, and Chengdu in Sichuan Province.
The National Meteorological Center forecasts continued heavy rain on Friday in the Sichuan Basin and Inner Mongolia's Hetao region, with moderate to heavy showers expected across parts of Northwest China, North China, Southwest China, and Hainan.
Localized rainstorms could bring severe flooding risks to regions such as Northwest China and parts of the Sichuan Basin, with authorities warning residents in affected areas to take precautions.