China Sees Record Rains, Heat as Weather Turns Volatile

 

China is currently experiencing its worst heatwave in decades, with June's rains setting records across the country, from the snow-capped peaks of Tibet to the tropical island of Hainan.

 

With even more warming predicted for this century, extreme heat is also wreaking havoc in Japan, while unpredictable weather is also causing problems in other parts of the world.

 

According to a study released on Tuesday by the China Meteorological Administration, June saw precipitation reach record highs in the northeastern provinces of Shandong, Jilin, and Liaoning while the national average of 112.1 millimeters (4.4 inches) was 9.1% higher than the same month a year ago.

 

The average temperature across the nation also hit 21.3 degrees Celsius (70.34 Fahrenheit) in June, up 0.9 C (1.8 F) from the same period month last year and the highest since 1961. No relief is in sight, with higher than usual temperatures and precipitation forecast in much of the country throughout July, the administration said.

 

In the northern province of Henan, Xuchang hit 42.1 C (107.8 F) and Dengfeng 41.6 C (106.9 F) on June 24 for their hottest days on record, according to global extreme weather tracker Maximiliano Herrera.

 

Numerous areas of China have also seen seasonal floods, which has put hundreds of thousands of people through hell. This is especially true in the hard-affected south, which gets the most rain and is frequently battered by typhoons coming in from the South China Sea.

 

China is not the only country facing hotter and more unpredictable weather. Authorities in Japan issued a warning about higher-than-normal strain on the electricity grid and asked residents to practice energy conservation.

 

Since records first started being kept in 1951 by the national meteorological bureau, Japanese officials have announced the earliest end to the annual summer rainy season. The rains typically continue into July and reduce the summertime heat.

 

On Friday, several cities smashed monthly heat records, while Tokamachi and Tsunan reached all-time high temperatures.

 

Large parts of the Northern Hemisphere have seen extreme heat this summer, with regions from the normally chilly Russian Arctic to the traditionally sweltering American South recording unusually high temperatures and humidity.

 

In the United States, the National Weather Service has held 30 million Americans under some kind of heat advisory amid record-setting temperatures. The suffering and danger to health is most intense among those without air conditioning or who work outdoors, further reinforcing the economic disparities in dealing with extreme weather trends.