China experienced its hottest July on record last month, with sweltering temperatures shattering previous highs. The announcement came from China’s meteorological agency, which has been compiling comprehensive data on the country’s climate since 1961.
The average temperature across the country in July 2023 soared to a scorching 23.21 degrees Celsius (73.78 degrees Fahrenheit), eclipsing the former July record of 23.17 degrees Celsius set in 2017, according to the China Meteorological Administration.
The heat wave scorched every corner of the vast nation, with all provinces and regions registering higher-than-normal temperatures. The southwestern provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan bore the brunt, recording their absolute hottest Julys on record.
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Several other provinces, including Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Tibet, also saw their second-highest July temperatures ever observed.
Weathercasters warn the intense heat is far from over and is expected to persist into August, particularly across central and southeastern parts of the country. Some areas, notably Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, are forecast to scorch under temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Meteorologists attribute the extreme conditions to the powerful grip of a subtropical high-pressure system, which has fueled the development and intensification of scorching, dry weather across the Jiang-Huai, Jiang-Nan, and other regions of China.
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