Second-hottest June ever heralds summer swelter

Average temperatures nationwide see increases over previous years

The past month was the second-hottest June on record in China. And to make matters worse, the heat wave isn't going away anytime soon, with temperatures expected to flirt with 40 C within the next few days in some regions, weather forecasters warned.

The average temperature in China in June was 20.7 C -0.8 C higher year-on-year, and only slightly behind the hottest June ever recorded in the country. That was in 2005, when the average temperature reached 21 C, said Zhang Zuqiang, spokesman for China Meteorological Administration.