Weather authority issues yellow alert as heatwave hits city

Shanghai issued this year’s first yellow alert for high temperature on Tuesday, which also marked the start of the hottest period of summer according to the Chinese lunar calendar.

The Shanghai Central Meteorological Observatory issued the yellow alert for high temperature at 10 am with the highest temperature in most parts of the city expected to reach 35°C to 36°C due to high subtropical pressure.

The local weather authority has forecast that temperatures in the city will stay above 35°C for at least 9 days. Some showers and thunderstorms in the afternoons are also expected.

According to the National Meteorological Observatory of the China Meteorological Administration, temperatures in more than 16 provinces and cities in China will reach above 35°C on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Most places in the southern regions are expected to experience sustained and extreme temperatures in the coming two weeks.

Meanwhile, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River will be experiencing drought due to long periods of high temperature and lesser rainfalls than usual.

Chen Yiqun contributed to this story.