Northern China braces for heat wave starting Sunday

A heat wave is expected to hit northern China in the coming days, with local temperatures soaring to 38 C, the National Meteorological Center said on Friday.

The center noted that from Sunday to early next week, many areas in Northwest China and the North China Plain will experience this year's first high-temperature days over 35 C.

In the following 10 days, most areas in the north will see average temperatures 1 to 3 C higher than normal for this time of year, accompanied by lower-than-normal rainfall, the center added.

Meanwhile, southern China will face frequent rainfall, with precipitation levels in some regions reaching 30 to 70 percent above the usual amounts for this period.

On Friday, the center also renewed a blue alert for heavy rain, the lowest level in the country's four-tier warning system.