People take measures to protect themselves from the sun in Beijing on May 15, 2023. The temperature climbed to 34.4 C in the afternoon, and the Beijing meteorological observatory issued a blue warning for high temperatures. Photo: VCG

With heavy rain inundating several cities in southern China and high temperatures scorching the north, experts warned that drought and floods would be more frequent under the influence of extreme weather from May to September.

The latest meteorological notices showed some parts of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, central and northern Shandong, and central and northern Henan, will bake in a round of heatwaves, with the highest temperatures to reach or exceed 35 C, and some areas set to exceed 37 C between Monday and Wednesday.

Affected by the warm high pressure, the highest temperature in most areas of Ji'nan, the capital of Shandong Province, is expected to surpass 36 C on Tuesday. Temperatures in some regions will reach 39 C, according to the Shandong Meteorological Bureau. A yellow alert was issued on Tuesday.

A distinctly different scenario was reported in the southern parts of China. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, 21 rivers in Jiangxi and Fujian provinces have been flooded by heavy rainfall since May 5. In Fengcheng, heavy rain caused the river dike to burst. As of May 8, 530,000 people had been affected and direct economic losses had reached 670 million yuan ($96 million).

Gao Hui, the chief forecaster at the National Climate Center, said that this summer, except for the central and northern parts of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province where the temperature is slightly lower than usual, most regions in the country are expected to experience temperatures that are close to or higher than average. 

However, Gao said, compared with 2022, it's predicted that this summer, in terms of the duration of high temperatures, peak intensity, range of high temperatures, and cities covered by extreme temperatures above 40 C, high-temperature events are expected to be weaker than last year. "But the duration and range of high temperatures this year are still expected to be higher than the usual summer," Gao added.

"After Wednesday, due to the combined effects of rainfall and weak cold air, the range and intensity of high temperatures will significantly weaken," said Fu Jiaolan, the chief forecaster at the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

Compared with the brief hot weather in the north, rainfall in the south lasts much longer. On Monday, there was moderate to heavy rain in central and western Yunnan, the southeastern Xizang region and other places. Moreover, from May 20 to 23, another stronger round of rain is expected, Fu said.

Experts told the Global Times that the La Niña phenomenon, which is a complex weather pattern that occurs every few years, ended this spring as a result of variations in ocean temperatures in the equatorial band of the Pacific Ocean that lasted for three years. Now, the El Niño phenomenon is likely to follow closely.

Therefore, global sea surface temperatures will be affected, leading to higher temperatures. However, after a brief period of high temperatures, there may also be a return of cold air. 

In addition, Ma Jun, founder of the Blue Map app and director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, has said that the phenomenon of drought in northern China and flooding in the south may become an entrenched part of China's climate.  

Experts said the impact is not only being felt in China, but also in other countries in the Pacific region and in Asia. According to CNN, the capital cities of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand have all hit record highs in May temperatures, with Vietnam recording a record high of 44.2 C.

In terms of global average surface temperatures, the past eight years have been the hottest eight years on record since the mid-19th century. Last year was the hottest year on record in 28 countries.