Tourists visit Qianjiang New City in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, July 3, 2025. Hangzhou issued an orange heat alert on Thursday. (Photo: Xinhua)
China's scorching heat will extend next week with around 10 provincial-level regions are bracing for blistering heatwaves of temperature soaring above 40 C, China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) warned on Sunday. In particular, provinces such as Central China's Henan and East China's Shandong Provinces are forecast to experience heatwaves that are unusually severe for this time of year. More than 15 provincial-level regions will be affected.
Since Saturday, sweltering temperatures have been recorded across the western part of North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the northern part of Henan, the central and northern parts of Shandong, and the northern part of Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. In some areas, temperatures exceeded 37 C, meteorological monitoring shows.
On Sunday, the heat intensified and spread further south. High temperatures are forecast across the western part of Inner Mongolia, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Henan, Shandong, the northern part of East China's Anhui Province, the northern part of East China's Jiangsu Province, Central China's Hubei Province, Chongqing, and the eastern part of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to the NMC.
In particular, parts of central and southern Hebei Province, most of North China's Tianjin Municipality, the western part of Shandong, the central and northern parts of Henan, the northern part of Anhui, the northern and western parts of Hubei, and the northeastern part of Chongqing could see temperatures ranging from 37 C to 39 C. Temperatures in some areas in the western part of Shandong and northeastern part of Henan may exceed 40 C.
The extreme heat is expected to expand further in the coming week, NMC warned.
Unlike in previous years, the position of the subtropical high-pressure system this year has shifted unusually northward, leading to unprecedented levels of heat and humidity in northern China, Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times.
Ma said the subtropical high pressure has strengthened earlier and more intensely than usual, causing both high temperatures and humidity. As it dominates the central and eastern parts of China, the subtropical high pressure is also pushing the summer monsoon northward, bringing moisture and heat to the northern areas and increasing low-level humidity.
In response to the heatwave, various local governments in north China have implemented a series of measures to provide relief to outdoor workers and ensure the stability of public production and daily life.
Last week, the Shandong Meteorological Department issued an orange heat alert, forecasting temperatures above 37 C in most parts of the province from Friday to Monday, with some areas exceeding 40 C. In Lanling county of Shandong's Linyi, rest stations have been established to provide outdoor workers and the public with a place to rest and cool down, media reported.
In Liaoning Province, over a thousand weather stations have reported temperatures between 33 C and 35 C. To mitigate the impact of the heat on vegetation, green spaces in parks across Shenyang have been watered more frequently, especially in large-scale green areas.
In Gansu, tourist destinations like Jiayu Pass scenic area and Jiuquan have seen temperatures rise to 36 C. With the peak tourist season approaching, local governments are taking active measures to cope with the heat. At the Jiayu Pass scenic area, measures such as opening all ticket gates, increasing volunteers and shuttle vehicles, and installing cooling mist devices have been implemented to reduce waiting times for visitors, ensuring a cooler experience for tourists.
As of July 10, the Hubei Meteorological Service issued high temperature warnings for the seventh consecutive days, with local temperatures in Wuhan exceeding 41 C. To cope with the scorching heat, the Wuhan Railway Station activated an 800-meter misting system in its East Square to cool and humidify the area for passengers waiting in line. Meanwhile, over 5,000 rest stations across the province have been opened to provide outdoor workers with a place to rest and escape the heat.
