Since May 18th, the northern region has been hit by the first widespread heatwave of the year. As of 1 pm on May 19th, among the top ten cities with the highest temperatures in the country, Henan province took five seats. The capital city of Zhengzhou even surpassed Turpan Toksun County, known for its scorching heat, with a record-breaking temperature of 41°C in May.
Many netizens in Henan province expressed shock at the extreme heat on social media platforms, with comments like, “Walking outside feels like being roasted on a skewer.” A video shared by a netizen showed electric car seats parked on the street being so hot that it could burn, dogs trembling from the heat, and pedestrians’ sandals melting on the pavement.
According to a reporter from China National Radio, stepping from indoors to outdoors felt like being hit by a wave of intense heat. Standing in the sunlight made the skin feel like it was burning. The ground temperature was measured at 63.1°C, while bike seats exposed to direct sunlight reached a scorching 73°C.
In another report by Jimo News, due to the hot weather, tea shops saw a boost in business as customers flocked in to escape the heat. A food delivery driver mentioned that his phone was overheating at noon, and he felt dizzy from the scorching sun. He had to return home after just a couple of hours of work, planning to resume deliveries during the cooler evening hours.
According to the Henan Meteorological Service Center, due to the high temperatures from the 19th to the 21st of May, there is an increased risk of dry and hot winds in the central and northern parts of Henan province.
At 6:40 am on May 20th, the Zhengzhou Meteorological Observatory issued an orange high-temperature warning: It is expected that during the day, the maximum temperature in the main urban area of Zhengzhou, the Aviation Port area, and the Shangjie area, including its townships and streets, will rise above 37°C.
However, according to meteorologist Zhang Bin from China Weather Network, the duration of this heatwave will not be too long. Starting from May 22nd, temperatures in most parts of the north will gradually decrease, with a significant reduction in the area affected by high temperatures. By the 23rd, temperatures will drop further, with some areas seeing a temperature decrease of more than 15°C, resulting in a noticeable contrast between hot and cold temperatures.