Rain and shine: Northern China swelters in heatwave as torrential downpours soak the south

SINGAPORE: From an intensifying heatwave in the north to torrential downpours in the south, China has been grappling with rain and shine throughout the three-day Dragon Boat Festival holiday which ended on Monday (Jun 10).

Authorities expect conditions to persist in the days beyond, bracing for record-high temperatures in parts of northern China as a heatwave peaks. Meanwhile, heavy rain in the southern regions is set to continue, bringing flooding risks.

According to the state-run Global Times, parts of northern Hebei Province and north-western Xinjiang logged temperatures between 35 and 38 degrees Celsius on Saturday (Jun 8). Some areas in Xinjiang’s Turpan reached 40.5 degrees Celsius.

China’s National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued an orange temperature alert on Sunday (Jun 9), the second-highest level of its three-tier warning system, state news agency Xinhua reported.

On Monday, Hebei’s meteorological observatory issued a high-temperature red warning signal, that temperatures in Baoding, Langfang and parts of the south could go up to 39 degrees Celsius, local news outlet The Paper reported. 

Meanwhile, temperatures could exceed 40 degrees Celsius in southern Hengshui, Xingtai and Handan. 

According to the NMC, temperatures are expected to peak from Monday to Thursday, with large areas of the north potentially seeing temperatures of 40 degrees and above. 

The current heatwave is considered unique for its wide impact, high intensity and prolonged duration, said the agency. Members of the public have been reminded to take precautions to avoid heatstroke and heat-related issues. 

Mr Zheng Zhihai, chief forecaster at China’s National Climate Center, told the Global Times that the high temperatures were linked to El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon marked by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures in the Pacific.

Last Wednesday, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said that temperatures across China in May hit a record high, Global Times reported. 

In May, the average temperature reached 17.7 degrees Celsius, higher than the historical average by 1.2 degrees Celsius and the highest since 1961 when complete records began. 

The deputy director of China’s National Climate Center Jia Xiaolong said China experienced several major climate events in May, including extreme rainstorms in the south, Global Times reported. 

He also predicted that temperatures in Beijing and other parts of China will be higher than usual by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius in June. 

TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR IN THE SOUTH

Even as much of the north bakes in sweltering heat, parts of southern China have been drenched by torrential rain, and the deluge is not letting up.

More than seven provincial-level regions in the south experienced heavy to torrential rain over the weekend, according to NMC data.

According to the Global Times, northern parts of China’s Guangxi will see intense rainfall over the next three days. Local authorities stepped up emergency response plans over the weekend after monitoring stations along several rivers exceeded flood warning levels.

In terms of rainfall, meteorological authorities said levels in June are expected to be above average in many parts of eastern, central and southern China. 

With the South China Sea summer monsoon taking place in May, it is expected that the southern and southwestern regions of China will experience continuous heavy rainfall in the coming two weeks, according to the agency. 

Much of Asia - including Southeast Asia - endured extreme heat in late April, with the scorching temperatures claiming dozens of lives in countries like India, Bangladesh and Thailand. The sweltering conditions also prompted school closures and authorities across the region to issue health warnings.