The photo taken on May 29, 2023 shows Shanghai residents in high temperatures. Photo: VCG

The temperature hit 36.1 C in Shanghai on Monday, setting a new record for the highest temperature in May in the city over the past century. Meteorological authority has forecast longer period and larger range of high temperature across China this summer than usual.

The city had previously reached record highs of 35.7 C in 1876, 1903, 1915, and 2018.

Monday also marked the first high temperature day of the year in Shanghai. The central meteorological observatory in Shanghai issued a yellow warning for high temperatures at noon, anticipating that temperature in downtown and several districts would surpass 35 C.

Apart from Shanghai, multiple places across the country have already recorded high temperatures exceeding 40 C.

Panzhihua city and Liangshan prefecture in Southwest China's Sichuan Province recorded temperatures above 40 C on Sunday and Monday and the local meteorological departments issued orange warnings for high temperature on Monday.

It is expected that high temperatures in some parts of Panzhihua will remain at 38 C or even 41 C in the next three to five days.

In Xichang and Dechang in Liangshan, temperatures hit 39 C, the highest so far this year.

In Central China's Hunan Province, high temperatures of 35 C or above were recorded in 52 counties and cities around the province on Monday including 16 counties and cities recording high temperatures of 36 C or above.

China Meteorological Administration has forecast that in the next three days, multiple places including most parts of South China, the southern part of Southwest China's Guizhou Province, the northern and southern parts of Yunnan Province, and the southern part of Sichuan Province will have high temperatures above 35 C, with some areas reaching 37 C to 39 C, or even 40 C.

The National Climate Center (NCC) of China Meteorological Administration forecast that there will be longer period and larger range of high temperatures in China this summer than usual.

Many parts of China experienced extreme heat and drought last summer. According to monitoring data, most parts of China saw higher temperatures in mid-April than in the same period in history.

Gao Hui, the chief forecaster from the NCC, said that temperatures across most regions of China this summer are expected to be near or above the average. However, the intensity of high temperature events is projected to be lower compared to last year. Nevertheless, meteorological droughts are still anticipated to occur frequently.

Like the trend of high temperature, the NCC predicted that the overall range and intensity of drought this year will be weaker than last year, but in some areas, such as the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, there is a high probability of sustained drought.

In the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, with the rapid development of high temperature after the end of the rainy season, evaporation increases sharply, which may result in rapid development of periodic drought.

Meteorological departments will continue to closely monitor the changes in key systems and weather and climate characteristics affecting climate forecasts, strengthen consultations and judgements and revise climate forecasts in a timely manner.

An analysis of electricity supply and demand in China in 2023 jointly released by the State Grid Energy Research institute Co and NCC shows that it is anticipated that there will be a tight balance between supply and demand of the national power in 2023, with a tight power supply and demand during peak hours in some places. The power gap during peak hours could be further widened due to fuel shortages and extreme weather conditions.

Global Times