On Thursday morning, China’s National Meteorological Center (NMC) renewed a yellow alert for high temperatures, forecasting intense heat across more than 10 provinces and regions. Temperatures are expected to exceed 37°C in many areas, with some locations—such as northwestern Zhejiang and Turpan in Xinjiang—potentially surpassing 40°C.
High Temperature Forecast
According to the NMC, the following regions are likely to experience temperatures above 35°C:
- Southern North China
- Huanghuai area
- Jianghuai region
- Jianghan region
- Most of Jiangnan
- Southeastern Sichuan
- Chongqing
- Northern South China
In particular, the following areas are expected to see highs between 37°C and 39°C:
- Southern Hebei
- Northern and southwestern Shandong
- Most of Henan
- Anhui
- Jiangsu
- Most of Chongqing
- Southeastern and western Hubei
- Northern Hunan
- Most of Jiangxi
- Central and western Zhejiang
- Central and western Fujian
This latest heatwave alert is part of an ongoing series of severe weather warnings issued by Chinese authorities.
Additional Weather Alerts
At 6 a.m. on Thursday, the NMC also issued a yellow alert for dense fog, warning that visibility could drop below one kilometer in parts of the northern and central Yellow Sea, as well as near Chengshantou.
By 10 a.m., the center had expanded its alerts to include a blue alert for rainstorms and severe convective weather. Between 2 p.m. Thursday and 2 p.m. Friday, heavy to torrential rainfall is expected in:
- Eastern Qinghai
- Central and eastern Gansu
- Central and southern Ningxia
- Western Sichuan Basin
- Western Yunnan
- Southeastern Tibet
- Hainan Island
- Eastern Hebei
- Central-eastern Liaoning
- Eastern Jilin
Some areas, including eastern Gansu, northwestern Sichuan Basin, southeastern Jilin, and eastern Liaoning, may experience extreme downpours of 100 to 180 millimeters. Thunderstorms and other forms of severe convective weather are also possible in these regions.
New Health Risk Warning System Launched
In response to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events and their impact on public health, China’s National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) jointly issued the country’s first national-level high-temperature health risk warning on Wednesday.
This new system integrates meteorological forecasts with public health guidance to better protect citizens during periods of extreme heat.
Health Risk Levels and Affected Regions
From 8 p.m. Wednesday to 8 p.m. Thursday, the following health risk alerts were issued:
- Yellow alert (elevated risk): Southern North China, Huanghuai, Jianghuai, Jianghan, northern Jiangnan, parts of northeastern China, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang
- Orange alert (high risk): Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, and Heilongjiang
- Red alert (extremely high risk): Parts of northern Jiangsu, central-eastern Shandong, eastern Henan, northern Anhui, and northeastern Heilongjiang
The public is advised to stay informed, avoid outdoor activities during peak heat hours, and remain well-hydrated.
System Features
Unlike previous threshold-based warnings, the new health risk system is regionally adaptive, offering more precise and localized assessments based on the correlation between heat exposure and increased mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The system includes five risk levels: low, moderate, relatively high, high, and extremely high.
Information Dissemination
The meteorological authority plans to distribute these alerts through multiple channels, including:
- The “Tianhe” weather service system
- The national emergency alert platform
- SMS notifications
- Mobile applications
- Social media platforms such as Weibo and Douyin
This multi-platform approach ensures that both government agencies and the general public receive timely updates to help mitigate the impacts of extreme weather conditions.
