BEIJING: Beijing logged its hottest June day since records began on Thursday, the national weather service said, as swathes of northern China sweltered in 40-degree heat.
Scientists say rising global temperatures — caused largely by burning fossil fuels — are aggravating extreme weather worldwide, and many countries in Asia have experienced deadly heatwaves and record temperatures in recent weeks.
At the Nanjiao weather station in southern Beijing, considered a benchmark for temperatures in the capital, the mercury hit 41.1 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit) at 3:19 p.m. (0719 GMT) on Thursday, the weather service said in a statement also carried by state broadcaster CCTV.
The figure is half a degree higher than the station’s previous monthly record of 40.6 C taken in June 1961, and second only to the 41.9 C measured in July 1999, according to weather data.
“This station has only hit temperatures exceeding 41 C three times since records began,” the weather service said, adding that “baking heat will persist in Beijing for the next two days, with temperatures perhaps reaching 38 C to 39 C.”
Other weather stations around the capital chalked up even higher temperatures on Thursday, with Tanghekou in northern Beijing notching 41.8 C early in the afternoon, becoming the hottest place in the country, according to state media.
Along Beijing’s canals, residents sought respite from the blazing heat by swimming and splashing around in the water.
In nearby Tianjin — home to over 13 million people — temperatures in the city center also soared, with the western Xiqing district logging its hottest ever June day with 40.6 C.
Nationwide, some 17 weather stations “recorded record high temperature extremes” on Thursday, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).
“It never used to get this hot in June before, but now it’s so hot my hands are trembling,” wrote one user on the Weibo social media platform.
“Are there three suns blazing over Beijing right now? It’s hot enough to cause a breakdown,” wrote another.
The scorching heat has coincided with the Dragon Boat Festival, a time when many Chinese go outside and socialize.
High temperatures are forecast to persist across northern China throughout the three-day public holiday, especially around Beijing and parts of the Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang regions.
“These current high-temperature weather systems are affecting large areas and persisting for a long time,” state broadcaster CCTV said Thursday.
Authorities have urged people to limit their time outdoors and warned of the heightened risk of heatstroke and other health complaints.
Beijing’s weather authority issued a warning for extreme heat and urged people to “avoid exercising outdoors for long periods... and take effective measures to shield from the sun.”
In Tianjin, where an alert was also in place, officials said the “general public (should) remain aware and take precautions” against heat-induced strokes.
Last week, Beijing recorded its highest temperature for mid-June, with weather officials warning the public to stay indoors as the mercury hit 39.4 C.
Beijing records hottest June day as extreme heat sears northern China
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Beijing records hottest June day as extreme heat sears northern China
- Scientists say rising global temperatures -- caused largely by burning fossil fuels -- are aggravating extreme weather worldwide
- Many countries in Asia have experienced deadly heatwaves and record temperatures in recent weeks
Winter storm packing snow and strong winds to descend on Great Lakes, Northeast
- The fierce winds on Lake Erie sent water surging toward the basin’s eastern end near Buffalo, New York, while lowering water on the western side in Michigan to expose normally submerged lakebed — even the wreck of a car and a snowmobile
NEW YORK: A wild winter storm was expected to bring strong winds, heavy snow and frigid temperatures to the Great Lakes and Northeast on Tuesday, a day after a bomb cyclone barreled across the northern US and left tens of thousands of customers without power.
The storm that hit parts of the Plains and Great Lakes on Monday brought sharply colder air, strong winds and a mix of snow, ice and rain, leading to treacherous travel. Forecasters said it intensified quickly enough to meet the criteria of a bomb cyclone, a system that strengthens rapidly as pressure drops.
Nationwide, more than 127,000 customers were without power Tuesday morning, more than a third of them in Michigan, according to Poweroutage.us.
BACKGROUND
The storm that hit parts of the Plains and Great Lakes on Monday brought sharply colder air, strong winds and a mix of snow, ice and rain, leading to treacherous travel.
As the storm moved into Canada, the National Weather Service predicted more inclement weather conditions for the Eastern US, including quick bursts of heavy snow and gusty winds known as snow squalls. Blustery winds were expected to add to the arctic chill, with low temperatures dipping below freezing as far south as the Florida panhandle, the agency said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul warned that whiteout conditions were expected Tuesday in parts of the state, including the Syracuse metro area.
“If you’re in an impacted area, please avoid all unnecessary travel,” she said in a post on the social platform X.
Snow piled up quickly in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on Monday, where as much as 2 feet (60 centimeters) fell in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. Meteorologist Ryan Metzger said additional snow was expected in the coming days, although totals would be far lighter.
Waves on Lake Superior that were expected to reach 20 feet (6 meters) on Monday sent all but one cargo ship into harbors for shelter, according to MarineTraffic.com.
The fierce winds on Lake Erie sent water surging toward the basin’s eastern end near Buffalo, New York, while lowering water on the western side in Michigan to expose normally submerged lakebed — even the wreck of a car and a snowmobile.
Kevin Aldrich, 33, a maintenance worker from Monroe, Michigan, said he has never seen the lake recede so much and was surprised on Monday to spot remnants of piers dating back to the 1830s. He posted photos on social media of wooden pilings sticking up several feet from the muck.
“Where those are at would typically be probably 12 feet deep,” he said. “We can usually drive our boat over them.”
Dangerous wind chills plunged as low as minus 30 F (minus 34 C) across parts of North Dakota and Minnesota on Monday. And in northeast West Virginia, rare, nearly hurricane-force winds were recorded on a mountain near Dolly Sods, according to the National Weather Service.
In Iowa, after blizzard conditions eased by Monday morning, high winds continued blowing snow across roadways, keeping more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) of Interstate 35 closed. State troopers reported dozens of crashes during the storm, including one that killed a person.
On the West Coast, the National Weather Service warned that moderate to strong Santa Ana winds were expected in parts of Southern California through Tuesday, raising concerns about downed trees in areas where recent storms had saturated the soil. Two more storms were forecast later this week, with rain on New Year’s Day potentially soaking the Rose Parade in Pasadena for the first time in about two decades.
