Heat wave expected to break in mid-August

At long last, some relief is on its way for sweltering South China.

After record-setting temperatures in southern regions of the country this summer, meteorologists say temperatures will begin to fall after mid-August.

A thermometer, based on the golden cudgel from Journey to the West, a legendary Chinese story, reads 78 C on the Turpan Flaming Mountains in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Liu Jian / for China Daily

"After Aug 13, temperatures in most southern provinces and regions will gradually drop, though it may remain above 35 C in parts of the region," Ma Xuekuan, chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center, said on Wednesday.

But there is a caveat. Before temperatures come down, most of southern China will see another record heat wave before Friday, he said.

The National Meteorological Center maintained an orange heat alert on Wednesday, warning that temperatures in Shanghai and Chongqing as well as in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hunan, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces will climb as high as 42 C within the next three days.

A fountain provides respite for a child in Sanlitun. Chen Yehua / for China Daily

The meteorological authority uses a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system with red being the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Scorching temperatures are also expected in parts of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in the next three days, with highs of up to 39 C.

Regional red alerts were issued by meteorological bureaus in Jiangsu, Henan, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Anhui and Hubei provinces as well as in Chongqing and Shanghai on Wednesday.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, autumn began on Wednesday and though temperatures usually fall at this time, the mercury will remain high for the next few days. By meteorological standards, autumn begins only when average daily temperatures fall below 22 C for five consecutive days.

The heat wave has been baking the country's southern regions since July, creating water shortages, power supply worries and harvest concerns.