On May 14th, a heatwave struck the North China Plain, with several provincial-level cities like Beijing, Hebei, and Shaanxi reaching record high temperatures, exceeding 35°C in some areas.
According to a report from China Weather Net on the 14th, as of 2 p.m., temperatures in many areas of the North China Plain had already surpassed 32°C, with some regions in Hebei and Shandong exceeding 35°C.
Among the provincial capital cities, Beijing recorded 32.6°C, Shijiazhuang 34.1°C, Xi’an (Jinghe River) 32.6°C, Jinan 32.7°C, Zhengzhou 33°C, and Taiyuan 32.8°C. These temperatures set new records for this year in those locations.
On the 13th, Beijing saw temperatures exceeding 30°C for the first time this year. On the 14th, the heat persisted and winds intensified. Temperatures are expected to briefly drop on the 15th to a high of 27°C before rising again to 30°C on the 16th.
Cold air is also impacting other northern regions, with Inner Mongolia experiencing the most drastic temperature drops in its central and southeastern parts, with decreases of over 8°C in many areas.
After the brief cool down, a more intense heatwave is forecasted to hit northern China. From the 17th to the 19th, temperatures above 35°C are expected in areas including the Southern Xinjiang Basin, North China Plain, and Fenwei Plain, with some areas reaching 37°C.
Additionally, on May 14th, the China Meteorological Administration issued a blue alert for sandstorms. From 8 p.m. on the 14th to 8 p.m. on the 15th, sandstorms are expected in southern and eastern Xinjiang, central-western Gansu, western and central Inner Mongolia, northern Ningxia, and northern Qinghai, with localized sandstorms in western Gansu and western Inner Mongolia.