Northern China feels the heat as El Nino summer looms
- Areas from Inner Mongolia to western Liaoning swelter under the influence of high-pressure ridges
- Relief in sight on Sunday but the longer-term outlook is more uncertain
Cities across parts of northern China are bracing for further hot weather this weekend as high-pressure ridges persist across a swathe of the country.
The heatwave has engulfed much of the north this week, sending temperatures soaring in an area stretching from Inner Mongolia, across northern Hebei province to western Liaoning.
By 5pm Thursday, eight provincial-level capitals had recorded their highest temperatures of the year, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday.
The heat was expected to put more pressure on the electricity system.
Authorities in the capital Beijing issued an orange alert – the second-highest in the four-tier system – on Friday as temperatures hit 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit).
Other cities, including Shijiazhuang and Cangzhou in neighbouring Hebei province, sweltered in 40-degree heat, with authorities issuing a red alert, the highest.
The hot weather is expected to keep temperatures above 37 degrees in many cities including Beijing and neighbouring Tianjin until Sunday, when cooler weather and rain are expected to arrive.
