Beijing issues weather warning for hottest days of year
Temperatures are expected to peak at around 38 degrees Celsius on Monday.
Human greenhouse gas emissions are driving climate change that causes longer, more frequent and more intense heatwaves.
For climate change news and analysis, go to News24 Climate Future.
Beijing residents sought shade and cooled off in canals on Monday as authorities issued the second-highest heat warning for the Chinese capital on one of its hottest days of the year so far.
China has endured a string of extreme summers in recent years, with heatwaves baking northern regions even as parts of the south have seen catastrophic rain and flooding.
Authorities in the city of 22 million people urged the public to take precautions, with temperatures expected to peak at around 38 degrees Celsius on Monday.
"It's been really hot lately, especially in the past few days," intern Li Weijun told AFP on Monday afternoon.
The 22-year-old said he had stopped wearing formal clothes to work and delayed his daily exercise until after 22:00 to stay safe.
"I think it's related to climate change, and maybe also to the damage done to nature," he said.
An orange heat warning - the second-highest in a three-tier system - was issued on Monday as officials encouraged people to limit outdoor activity and drink more fluids to avoid heatstroke.
Construction workers should "shorten the amount of time consecutively spent at labour", while elderly, sick or weakened individuals ought to "avoid excessive exertion", according to the guidelines.
Zhang Chen, 28, said she carried an umbrella outdoors to prevent sunburn.
"I used to ride a bike, but once it gets this hot, I basically stop doing that," the IT worker told AFP.
Despite the beating sun, legions of delivery drivers zipped through downtown areas at noon to bring sustenance to Beijing's office workers.
A few lazed on the backs of their scooters in a shady spot, while elsewhere, people cooled off with ice creams or by taking a dip in the city's canals.
READ | Half the world faced an extra month of extreme heat due to climate change: study
Climate giant
Beijing is still a few degrees short of breaking its record for the hottest-ever June day, set at 41.1 degrees Celsius in 2023.
Human greenhouse gas emissions are driving climate change that causes longer, more frequent and more intense heatwaves.
China is the world's largest producer of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, though it has pledged to bring its emissions to a peak by the end of this decade and to net zero by 2060.
The country has also emerged as a global leader in renewable energy in recent years as it seeks to pivot its massive economy away from highly polluting coal consumption.
In a shady spot near an office building, 42-year-old Lucy Lu spent her lunch break with friends, kicking a shuttlecock through the air - a traditional Chinese game known as "jianzi".
"I was born and raised in Beijing, and summer here has always been like this," she said.
"But I do think when the temperature goes over 40 degrees Celsius, there should be some time off or work-from-home options to reduce the risk of heatstroke."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
More than 100 million Americans to swelter in triple digit heat as new ‘heat dome' arrives
More than 100 million Americans are set to swelter in triple-digit heat in the coming days after an area of high pressure moves across the Midwest and South, resulting in the arrival of a new 'heat dome.' Temperatures are expected to hit over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day in multiple areas including parts of Nebraska, Missouri, Texas and Louisiana. Overnight some areas may not dip below 80 degrees. It comes almost exactly a month after similar severe heatwaves scorched parts of the East Coast, with several major cities including New York and Boston climbing to triple-digit temperatures. John F Kennedy International Airport recorded 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38C) at midday – the first time since 2013 – according to the National Weather Service, which described the conditions caused by the heat dome as 'extremely dangerous.' A heat dome is created when a high pressure area stays over the same area for days or potentially weeks, trapping very warm air underneath it. Because hot air expands, it creates a 'dome' that bulges out. According to the National Weather Service, such conditions are set to hit the South in the coming week. 'Dangerous, prolonged heat is expected across portions of the Central and Southeast U.S. through the end of July,' the NWS said. 'Widespread Major to locally Extreme HeatRisk is expected, especially over the Mid-Mississippi, Lower Ohio Valleys, and the Mid South.' Forecaster AccuWeather noted that Dallas, Texas, is at risk of hitting triple figure temperatures on any given day during the next two or three weeks. Over 100 million Americans will feel heat over 100 degrees, the forecaster said. "Kansas City, Missouri, has not hit 100 degrees since August 25 2023, but is positioned to do so on multiple days during the upcoming heat dome," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill said. "The zone from central Texas into the Ozarks in Arkansas and Missouri still has wet soil from recent rain," Merrill said, adding such conditions would contribute to the 'extreme' humidity. Such sweltering temperatures will hinder manual labor jobs including construction and agriculture. The high temperatures are also expected to impact the start of athletic training camps for the upcoming start of the school year. While this occurs, those in the Northeast will enjoy a brief respite from the extreme heat, thanks to 'a large southward dip in the jet stream,' AccuWeather reports. This pattern will result in frequent fronts that bring extended bouts of cool and less humid air, and although there will be brief surges of hot and humid weather, previously unbearable conditions are due to dissipate. During June's Northeast heat dome nearly 40 U.S. cities broke record high temperatures, including Philadelphia, Baltimore and Raleigh, North Carolina, which hit temperatures of 99 degrees (37C), 104 degrees (40C) and 100 degrees, respectively.
Wall Street Journal
3 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
The New Hot Topic in European Politics Is Air Conditioning
PARIS—Rising summer temperatures have softened Europe's resistance to air conditioning and touched off a new political fight about the wisdom of installing the technology everywhere, U.S.-style. A heat wave that hit Western Europe in June and July spurred a run on air conditioners in appliance stores across the region. The scorching temperatures came unusually early, before many Europeans had a chance to decamp to the beach for summer vacation, exposing vulnerabilities in the cities where most people live. More than 1,000 French schools closed partially or completely because they lacked air conditioning.
CBS News
7 hours ago
- CBS News
Boston's "heat islands" have dangerous impacts. How small changes could help
If the weather's felt unbearable lately, you're not imagining it. Boston is entering another stretch of sweltering heat, but for some residents, it's more than just uncomfortable. It's dangerous. And where you live in the city could be making things significantly worse. On one July day in 2019, the official temperature reading at Logan Airport was 92 degrees. But in Ashmont, a neighborhood in Dorchester just a few miles away, the temperature reached 102.6 degrees. That's a staggering 10-degree difference. "You're talking about a 15-degree disparity between the hottest and coolest parts of the city on the same day," said David Sittenfeld, director of the Center for the Environment at the Museum of Science in Boston. "And that has huge implications for public health, emergency services, and energy use." Sittenfeld has spent the last two decades studying Boston's "urban heat island effect," a phenomenon where certain neighborhoods become significantly hotter than others due to dense development, asphalt, a lack of green space and historical inequities in city planning. Urban areas tend to absorb and retain heat, especially places with large amounts of concrete, brick and blacktop. Unlike trees or grass, these surfaces trap solar radiation and release it slowly, turning neighborhoods into long-lasting heat batteries. This becomes especially dangerous at night when temperatures fail to cool off. The heat puts extra stress on the human body and leaves residents, especially seniors and those with chronic conditions, vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. The disparities aren't random. Sittenfeld's team compared areas that were historically redlined - cut off from investment and housing loans - with wealthier, greener neighborhoods. In East Boston, for example, redlined areas had only 3% tree canopy on average. In contrast, more affluent parts of Greater Boston had up to 43% tree canopy. That lack of shade, combined with dense pavement and limited access to green space or water, gives some neighborhoods what Sittenfeld calls a "head start" toward dangerous outcomes like blackouts, heat stroke and respiratory issues. Adding to the concern is the way some public spaces are being redeveloped. One recent example? Copley Square. The once-green plaza in the Back Bay was recently resurfaced with stone and concrete. While intended to modernize the space and support events, critics say it's now more of a heat reflector than a community oasis. "Every time we pave over green space, we're making the heat island worse," said Sittenfeld. "We need to think about the long-term thermal footprint of the spaces we build." But there are bright spots. Just half a mile from one of East Boston's hottest intersections near Maverick Square, researchers recorded temperatures seven degrees cooler at Belle Isle Marsh. The difference? A salt marsh with just four trees. "Restoring even small amounts of natural landscape can help. Especially in coastal neighborhoods. Bringing back wetlands, or even just reducing pavement, can be faster and more feasible than planting full tree canopies," said Sittenfeld. In fact, planners across the region are beginning to think block by block. "Can we depave a section? Can we plant a few bushes? It doesn't have to be massive to make a difference," he said. With more extreme heat forecast later this week - and more to come in a warming climate - Boston officials are also turning to short-term solutions. Some libraries now double as cooling centers, offering shaded outdoor spray tents and reading programs for kids. The city is promoting "social connectedness," too, encouraging residents to check in on elderly neighbors who may not have air conditioning or access to digital heat alerts. "This is about resilience," said Sittenfeld. "Not everyone experiences heat the same way. But we can take small, smart steps to make it safer for everyone." There are ways you can help in your community.
