Hangzhou, Shanghai broil as extreme heat engulfs eastern China

By Nicoco Chan, Xihao Jiang and Bernard Orr

HANGZHOU, China (Reuters) - Mega-cities on China's eastern coast are facing another spell of scorching heat as temperatures hovered around 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on Friday and prolonged extreme temperatures were expected to run into next week.

The Shanghai Meteorological Center on Thursday issued the first red warning signal for high temperatures this year after the sprawling metropolis hit 40C, logging the 22nd day of temperatures over 40C since its Xujiahui weather station began tracking data in 1873.

In nearby Hangzhou, officials issued a red warning early on Friday, with some areas in Shangcheng district, Binjiang district, Gongshu district, and Xihu district hitting 40C. A red warning is the most severe in a three-tiered warning temperature system.

"It's so hot, like fire falling from the sky," said Wang, a 60-year-old tourist who travelled to Hangzhou from the cooler northern province of Hebei. "I'm sweating all over. There is wind but it is hot."

China recorded its hottest July in recent history on record, while July 22 was the hottest day ever recorded, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, which has tracked such global weather patterns since 1940.

Chinese weather forecasters also issued warnings for high temperatures for many parts of the country with Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian provinces, Chongqing and Shanghai expected to see temperatures around 37-39C, and some areas at 40C or higher.

Treacherous heatwaves are becoming the norm in China as experts blame global climate changes for extreme weather conditions across the world.

"It's so hot and I am sweating all the time," said Li Wen, a 22-year-old tourist visiting Shanghai. "Everyone is wearing sun protection shirts, holding parasols, and taking precautions against the sunshine."

The country is bearing through yet another summer of torrid heat and weather experts expect more hotter and longer heatwaves for the foreseeable future.

(Reporting by Nicoco Chan and Xihao Jiang in Hangzhou and Bernard Orr in Beijing; Additional writing by Liz Lee; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)