Eva Deschamps / June 17, 2023
A temperature record for mid-June was broken in Beijing on Friday, with 39.4°C recorded in the Chinese capital, according to the national meteorological department, at a time when part of the country is experiencing a heat wave.
"At around 2:30 pm, the temperature at the Observatory in Beijing's southern suburbs reached 39.4°C, breaking the record for mid-June," China's meteorological department said on its official account on the social network Weibo. Midsummer heat waves are not unusual in China, particularly in the arid west and south of the country.
But the Asian giant has been facing extreme weather conditions in recent months, exacerbated by climate change, according to scientists. In January, for example, a record low of -53°C was set in Mohe, on the border with Russia. Last year, China experienced its hottest August since records began in 1961, following weeks of unprecedented heatwave.