Heatwave sets records in several Chinese cities
Chien Li-hsin and Staff Reporter 2013-07-27 09:26
People try to beat the heat in Hangzhou. (Photo/Xinhua)
Twelve cities in China have seen extremely hot weather since July 22, including a high of 40.4℃ in Hangzhou, the hottest recorded temperature since 1951, 40.6℃ in Beijing, and 38.6℃ in Shanghai.
Changsha has seen the mercury rise above 35℃ for 25 straight days, also record, our sister paper Want Daily reports.
Zhejiang in eastern China is the hottest province, occupying almost all the high temperature rankings on the mainland, with 14 cities and counties in the province exceeding 40℃, led by Fenghua with 42.7℃ while heat levels in Hangzhou, Shaoxing and Pinghu all hit record highs.
Hangzhou has become an oven, with locals joking that they should take a drive to Nanjing, another city famous for its fearsome heat and humidity, in order to cool off, as the latter's temperature is a mere 36.9℃. Internet users posted photos of plants on the walls in Hangzhou scorched by the sun.
In Huzhou's Nanxun Old Town, a well-known tourism spot, no visitors are to be seen as people stay away from the 40℃ weather there, Many shops are closed, including one famous noodle shop which doesn't have air conditioning.
Beijing reported a temperature of 40.6℃ on July 24, with the weather bureau issuing the first orange temperature warning so far this year.
Shanghai reported a temperature of 38.6℃ on the same day, with the weather bureau also issuing an orange warning. Shanghai has seen temperatures of above 35℃ for 18 days in July so far; and may set a 140-year record if the hot weather continues for one more week.
In 2003, Changsha, the capital of south-central China's Hunan province, set a record by reporting temperatures in excess of 35℃ for 24 straight days. This record was broken on July 24, and weather experts said Hunan's hot weather will continue in the next few days with little chance of rain.
