China's extreme temperatures could become more common in years to come

On Aug 16, 2022, workers engage in an artificial precipitation operation using a mobile rocket vehicle in Yichang, Hubei province, to mitigate the enduring heat. WANG GANG The high temperatures in China that arrived earlier than normal and lasted longer this year could become more common in the years to come as the world continues to heat up, according to a top meteorological expert.

It is rare that a strong heat wave affects such a large range of areas, said Chen Lijuan, chief forecaster from the National Climate Center.

The National Meteorological Center issued the first red warning of the year the first since the standards were adjusted in 2013 to be exact for high temperatures on Friday, and has since renewed it every day since.

Red is the highest alert in China's weather warning system for extreme heat.

The center predicted that the duration of this year's regional high temperatures, which have yet to end, will break the 62 day record set in 2013 and become the longest heat wave since 1961.

The temperature's intensity may be its highest since 1961, Chen said.

In this case, intensity is measured by the average temperature, range of influence and duration.

The National Meteorological Center predicts that the heat will continue for the next two weeks and will affect many southern parts of the country since June.

Chongqing has dominated the high temperature rankings list released by the center.

The city has set local record highs for average temperature, minimum temperature and consecutive days with maximum temperatures above 40 C this summer.

Meteorological data shows that the average number of high temperature days in the city is the second longest for the same period since 1951.

The highest temperature forecast for most parts of Chongqing is 44 C and areas along the Yangtze River, including Chongqing, are expected to experience drought until August 22, according to the highest temperature forecast for most parts of Chongqing.

We think it is highly possible that less precipitation will fall in the Yangtze River Basin. There may be a lot of drought in the summer and autumn, especially in the middle and lower reaches of the river, Chen said.

Water levels in many parts of the Yangtze River have fallen significantly, in some places to record lows because of the heat.

The water levels in Anqing province of Anhui had dropped to 8.13 meters, the lowest for the period, according to the city's hydrographic office.

In a riverside wetland in Wuhu, many rocks now lie exposed, something normally only seen in winter, residents said.

The average evaporation in Anqing has been about 70 percent more than normal since the beginning of August because of the scorching temperatures.

The meteorological bureau of Anhui compared satellite data from August to that of May and found that water bodies in the province had shrunk by 17 percent as of Thursday.

Due to the extreme temperatures, the upper reaches of a river in Chishui, Guizhou province are depleted and waterfalls at a nearby scenic spot ran dry on Saturday, according to a local tourism company.

The Jiangsu meteorological service issued a warning on Sunday, warning that expressway road surface temperatures could reach as high as 72 C, increasing the danger of blowouts.

On Sunday, the Changsha education bureau in Hunan province issued an emergency notice for middle and high schools to stop all outdoor training activities for freshmen to avoid heatstroke.