Heat wave forecast to be brief

Many cities across the country issued the year's first hot weather alerts on Tuesday, but a government weather expert said the heat wave won't stay for long.

The mercury hit 37 C in downtown Shanghai, where an orange alert was issued for the first time this year along with a warning to citizens - especially children, the elderly and the sick - to keep cool and avoid too much time outdoors. Other areas in the city also reported a high of over 35 C.

Similar temperatures were reported in other cities in the Yangtze River Delta region, as well as in Beijing and Wuhan, capital of Hubei province.