Northern and central China experienced a severe heatwave this week, with temperatures soaring to record May highs. Several major cities reported temperatures well above 40°C.
Zhengzhou, a city of 13 million, reached 41°C on Monday. Linzhou saw temperatures climb to 43.2°C, and Shahe recorded 42.9°C.
As of Monday afternoon, 99 weather stations across China had matched or exceeded previous May temperature records. The heatwave is expected to subside by Friday, with some areas experiencing temperature drops of up to 15°C.