China is facing a searing heatwave this week, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 42 degrees Celsius (107.6°F) in northern Hebei province on Wednesday. This comes as countries across Asia brace themselves for another summer of extreme weather conditions.
The National Meteorological Centre (NMC) in China has warned of the impact of the soaring temperatures on energy supplies, crop production, and people’s health. More than 20 weather stations in northern Hebei and eastern Shandong provinces have logged record high seasonal temperatures during the first ten days of June.
China has experienced unusually warm weather for much of the year, with average temperatures from March to May at their highest since records began in 1961, according to official data. The NMC has warned that the scorching temperatures will continue to envelop northern China until June 20, potentially reaching or exceeding historical highs in Hebei, Shanxi, and central Henan province.
The extreme heat is not limited to China. Northern India is also in the middle of a prolonged heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 50°C in late May. The country has recorded nearly 25,000 heat stroke cases and 56 deaths since March, according to its national disease control centre.
In addition to the searing temperatures, a severe drought in eastern China’s Shandong province is also threatening crops. Local authorities in Mengyin County have had to resort to measures like creating artificial rain to combat the unusually dry conditions.
Scientists have attributed these extreme weather events to the impact of human-caused climate change, stating that the heat waves experienced in Asia in April were made worse and more likely due to global warming.
As the summer progresses, countries across Asia are bracing themselves for the continued onslaught of extreme temperatures and weather conditions, which pose significant challenges to energy supplies, food production, and public health.