The Chinese Meteorological Department issued a warning on Thursday, July 4, that China is facing another hot summer, with temperatures expected to be higher and the duration of the hot weather to be longer, accompanied by more frequent and unpredictable heavy rainfall.
According to the China Meteorological Administration, the temperatures in most parts of China are expected to be relatively high in the coming months, marking the second consecutive summer of extreme heat in the country.
The annual climate “Climate Change Blue Book” released by the Meteorological Administration stated that in 2023, the national average temperature reached a new high, leading to record levels of glacier melting and permafrost thawing in the northwest region.
The “Blue Book” also warned that the country’s highest temperatures may rise by 1.7 to 2.8 degrees Celsius within 30 years, with the most significant changes expected in eastern China and the Xinjiang region in the northwest.
“This year’s weather is different from previous years, with more extreme weather events,” said Chen Yuhang, a resident of Shanghai, China’s business hub, to Reuters. On Thursday, the temperature in Shanghai exceeded 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
“I feel hot every time I go out,” he said.
Record-breaking temperatures in North China and Central China are threatening crop growth and putting pressure on the power grid.
Official data shows that the average temperature from March to May in China hit the highest level since 1961.
In June, record-breaking high temperatures hit major grain-producing provinces in the northwest and east, forcing farmers to delay corn planting, while heavy rains in other regions submerged soybean and rice fields.
So far, drought has affected eight provinces in China, with many locals describing it as the most severe in their memory. Farmers in Henan province said they had not seen such a drought in 50 years.
The Meteorological Administration predicts that summer temperatures in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Gansu, and Ningxia will be 1 to 2 degrees Celsius above normal.
Meanwhile, heavy rains and floods are hitting southern regions. From the end of June to July, heavy rains have caused disasters in many southern areas, with 8 provinces experiencing heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, and many meteorological stations issuing red alerts for heavy rain.
The Meteorological Administration forecasted that two typhoons may land on the mainland in July. Authorities stated that the typhoons are expected to move westward or northwestward.
In 2023, two strong typhoons, Doksuri and Haikui, landed, leading to record-breaking rainfall in some areas, causing floods, and resulting in large-scale evacuations.
As extreme weather events such as drought in the north and floods in the south become more frequent, some Chinese netizens question, “How insignificant are humans in the face of nature?”
Scientists predict that China will experience more rainfall and longer periods of drought. In addition to floods, the southern region has experienced drought every year for the past three years.
According to data from the World Weather Attribution, a climate modeling network, the likelihood of heatwaves occurring in China has increased 50 times nationwide.