Beijing breaks mid-June heat record as temperatures reach 39.4 °C (103 °F), China

Beijing experienced a record-breaking mid-June temperature of 39.4°C (103°F) on June 16, 2023, as reported by China’s meteorological authority, which has issued warnings for the public to stay indoors and avoid heatstroke.

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) announced on Friday that Beijing’s Nanjiao observatory recorded a temperature of 39.4 °C (103° F) at around 14:30 LT, breaking the mid-June record. The previous record temperature for mid-June in Beijing was 39.1 °C (102.4 °F) recorded on June 13, 2000, as per the CMA.

The CMA has warned that the coming days will see temperatures in Beijing exceeding 37 °C (98.6 °F), urging the public to limit outdoor activities and be cautious of heatstroke.

On Thursday, June 15, eight provincial capitals across the country recorded their highest temperatures of the year, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Several locations in Hebei province were placed under a red alert, the highest level, due to temperatures exceeding 40 °C (104 °F) on June 16. In Beijing, road surface temperatures exceeded 50 °C (122 °F), which, according to city meteorologist Lei Lei, “can easily cause road damage, vehicle tire blowout, spontaneous combustion and other traffic accidents”.

The Beijing Daily advised readers to stay hydrated, recommending traditional sweet mung bean soup or drinks containing electrolytes. The newspaper also suggested that “personnel working in high-temperature environments should shorten their periods of continuous work”.

More than 2 million km² (772 000 mi²) across China have been hit by temperatures exceeding 35 °C (95 °F) last week, Xinhua reported.

On May 29, Shanghai, the eastern metropolis, recorded its hottest May day in over a century.

Century-old heat record broken in Shanghai, southern China hit by the strongest May heat wave on record

References:

¹ Beijing roasts in record mid-June temperatures – AFP – June 16, 2023

Featured image credit: Zhang Kaiyv