In much of China, August was the hottest month since records began, with scorching temperatures in rural areas and large urban centers alike. Japan also had an exceptionally hot summer.
Seven provinces in China recorded their warmest August on record, the country's weather service said. The records were broken in Jiangsu, Shandong (east), Hebei (north), Hainan (south), Jilin, Liaoning (northeast) and Xinjiang (northwest). Five regions had their second-warmest August on record, and three others had their third-warmest.
Heat in the big city
The heat accompanied both the inhabitants of the countryside and the huge metropolises. Some large cities, such as Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chongqing, were hit by extreme temperatures, reaching above 35 degrees, which until now rarely occurred in August.
– In most Chinese provinces, the summer was warmer than the previous one, meteorologists said on Sunday.
Rising global temperatures are also making extreme weather events more frequent and intense. Over the past two months, China has experienced extreme weather, from heatwaves in the north and west to devastating floods in central and southern regions.
Shanghai Heatwave, August 1, 2024Reuters Archive
Not only China
Extreme heat has gripped much of East Asia this summer, not just China. On Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said the average temperature from early June to late August was 1.76 degrees Celsius (3.76 degrees Fahrenheit) above the long-term average this year. The same value was recorded in 2023, making it the highest since records began in 1898.
China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, one of the causes of the climate crisis. At the same time, the authorities have declared that in 2030 they will reach the peak of emissions and in 2060 they will achieve climate neutrality.
Main image source: Reuters Archive