North China set for first heat wave of 2026 in the coming days
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
North China is expected to experience its first widespread heat wave of the year over the next few days, with temperatures in some areas forecast to reach as high as 37 degrees Celsius, according to China’s meteorological authorities.
The China Meteorological Administration said on Friday that most parts of north China will see below-average rainfall over the next 10 days. Temperatures will be 1 to 3 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average, and some local areas will see rises of 4 to 5 degrees Celsius.
Starting Saturday, areas with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius will expand rapidly across north China. By May 13, the heat wave is expected to have spread across much of Shanxi, Henan, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong and Jiangsu, marking this year’s first large-scale high-temperature event in north China.
China’s north-south divide is primarily defined by the geographical boundary of the Qinling Mountains and the Huaihe River, which lie roughly between 32 and 34 degrees north latitude.
Beijing’s meteorological authorities said the capital will see daytime highs of around 32 degrees Celsius on May 10. Temperatures are expected to keep rising early next week, with daytime highs ranging from 31 to 34 degrees Celsius, before cooling later in the week.
Notably, around the solar term Lixia, or the Beginning of Summer, which fell on May 5 this year, summer conditions usually advance northward from regions south of the Yangtze River toward the generally drier and cooler north China. This year, however, north China is expected to warm up faster than regions south of the Yangtze, with parts of the North China Plain potentially entering summer ahead of southern areas.
Meteorological authorities warned that the upcoming heat in north China will feature dry conditions and strong sunshine. Residents are advised to limit prolonged outdoor activities during the hottest afternoon hours. They are also urged to stay hydrated and take precautions against sudden temperature drops at night.
Reference Link:- https://english.news.cn/20260509/bd6f55c11c424f1aa0f3c66ffc1265c7/c.html
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
