China prepares for “extreme heat” day as temperatures rise | China

China is preparing for the return of more heat waves over the next 10 days, as temperatures are set to start rising in parts of the country on Saturday.

Some coastal cities are already on Highest alert level And inland regions warn of the dangers of dam collapse due to melting glaciers.

This Saturday is the “extreme heat” day in the Chinese calendar based on the lunar calendar.

Fu Jiaolan, chief meteorologist at the National Meteorological Center, told state media that the heat wave is expected to be similar in scope to the July 5-17 heatwaves, but more areas may experience temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Fahrenheit) or higher.

Some cities in Zhejiang Province, home to many factories and exporters, on Friday issued red alerts – the highest in a three-level warning system – that forecast temperatures of at least 40 degrees Celsius over the next 24 hours.

The Ministry of Emergency Management warned on Friday that the load on the national power grid could reach a new level this summer as demand for air conditioners increases by homes, offices and factories, as safe operation faces “harsh tests”.

“We have regulations that must be followed for all factories in China and Shanghai,” said Liu Zhang, president of Sika China Chemical Products Manufacturer.

“Every year we do things to make work more comfortable, for example giving workers ice cream when it gets too hot.”

The ministry said Zhejiang, as well as parts of Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi and Chongqing city, are at risk of forest fires in the near term.

The accelerated glacial melt until July 29 poses risks to rivers and dams, the China Meteorological Administration said Friday, in particular warning of the danger of a dam collapse on a tributary of the Aksu River near China’s border with Kyrgyzstan.

The administration said this round of hot weather would have a “certain degree of impact” on the melting of snow and ice in the Alps.

The temperatures in China this summer have been described as extreme. From June 1 to July 20, the basins of the Yellow River and Yangtze River – major centers of industry and commerce – were hit by more than 10 days of warmer than usual temperatures.

Heat waves also broke out in other parts of East Asia, Western Europe, North Africa and North America, causing wildfires in many countries.

Scientists warn that climate change will make heat waves hotter and more frequent.

The highest temperature recorded in China is a matter of debate. According to Chinese media, the hottest period in the past 300 years was in July 1743 during the Qing Dynasty, when a French missionary in Beijing was said to have recorded an all-time high of 44.4°C.

In 2015, a local news portal reported 50.3 degrees Celsius at a weather station near Ayding, a dry lake in the Turpan Depression in Xinjiang.

The China Meteorological Administration said on Friday that temperatures in the Turpan oasis could reach 50 degrees Celsius next week.