2022 China heat wave

Last updated

2022 China heat wave
Areas China
Start date13 June 2022
End date31 August 2022
Peak temp. 45.0 °C (113.0 °F), recordedat Beibei on 18 August 2022
Losses
Damages$7.6 billion (2022 USD) [1]
A map of extreme temperatures in East Asia from 10 to 16 July 2022. East Asian Heat Waves in July 10-16, 2022.png
A map of extreme temperatures in East Asia from 10 to 16 July 2022.

From June to 31 August 2022, China had a severe heat wave which affected several provinces and municipalities. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] To date, it is the country's worst heat wave to have existed. [7] According to weather historian Maximiliano Herrera, it is the most severe heat wave recorded anywhere in the world. [8]

Contents

History

According to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), the national average temperature was listed as 21.3 °C in June. It was 0.9 degrees higher than in the same period last year, making that month the hottest since 1961. In northern Henan, the hottest days on 24 June were in Xuchang with 42.1 °C and Dengfeng with 41.6 °C recorded since records began. [9]

August

By August, the highest temperatures were recorded across China, while at the same time, less water flowed in the Yangtze, the fewest since 1961. [10] Jiangsu, Hubei and Sichuan provinces had been hit by widespread droughts, local authorities have been ordered to cut water supplies for agricultural, commercial and industrial uses. The drought has already affected more than 800,000 hectares of farmland in six provinces. [11] In August, the weather reached 43.5 °C in Gao County, 43.4 °C in Jianyang and Zigong, 41 °C in Mianyang, 34.9 °C in Chongqing at night, and 45 °C in Beibei. [12] [13]

On 18 August, it was reported that silver iodide was used to form clouds in Anhui and other provinces. [14] From 24 to 26 August, high temperatures in southern Shaanxi, Jianghan, Jianghuai and Jiangnan cooled down from north to south. [15] [16] On 25 August, artificial rainfall was implemented in parts of Sichuan and Chongqing. On 26 August, the high temperature range in the Sichuan Basin and Jiangnan began to decrease. [17] On 28 August, general industrial and commercial electricity consumption in Sichuan was fully restored and the province's electricity shortage situation eased. On 29 August, high temperatures in the Sichuan Basin decreased. Temperatures in most parts of Chongqing dropped below 30°C. [18] On 30 August, the drought in parts of the Yangtze River Basin eased. [19] On 31 August, high temperatures subsided in most of southern China. [20]

Impact

Due to the drought and increasing power consumption due to the heat, there was a resulting energy crisis of which several factories had to be shut down. [21] The heat wave had also caused affected the country's economy. [22]

The drought and persistent heat had also caused more forest fires in China, particularly in Chongqing. [23] Also because of the heat and lack of rain, the level of the Yangtze sharply decreased, and the Three Gorges Dam was opened in order to refill water into that river. [24]

Poyang Lake, which is located in Jiujiang, Jiangxi, has been reduced to just 25% of its usual size due to extreme weather conditions, causing a major drought. [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2003 European heatwave</span> Major heat wave in Europe

The 2003 European heat wave saw the hottest summer recorded in Europe since at least 1540. France was hit especially hard. The heat wave led to health crises in several countries and combined with drought to create a crop shortfall in parts of Southern Europe. The death toll has been estimated at more than 70,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yibin</span> Prefecture-level city in Sichuan, Peoples Republic of China

Yibin is a prefecture-level city in the southeastern part of Sichuan province, China, located at the junction of the Min and Yangtze Rivers. Its population was 4,588,804 inhabitants, according to the 2020 census, of whom 2,158,312 lived in the built-up area comprising three urban districts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luzhou</span> Prefecture-level city in Sichuan, Peoples Republic of China

Luzhou (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: 瀘州; pinyin: Lúzhōu; Sichuanese Pinyin: Nu2zou1; Luzhou dialect: ), formerly transliterated as Lu-chou or Luchow, is a prefecture-level city located in the southeast of Sichuan Province, China. The city, named Jiangyang until the Southern and Northern Dynasties, is known as the "Liquor City" (酒城). Situated at the confluence of the Tuo River and the Yangtze River, Luzhou is the largest port in both size and output in Sichuan province since Chongqing was separated from Sichuan province in 1997. As of the 2020 Chinese census, its population was 4,254,149 inhabitants whom 1,241,273 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of Jiangyang and Longmatan districts, as Naxi district is not conurbated yet. Luzhou, which borders Yunnan, Guizhou and Chongqing, is the only geographic junction of the four provinces, and was therefore the logical place for a port in ancient China. After the PRC was founded in 1949, Luzhou became the capital of southern Sichuan province. In 1983, Luzhou was approved as a prefecture-level city administratively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nanchong</span> Prefecture-level city in Sichuan, Peoples Republic of China

Nanchong is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of Sichuan province, China, with an area of 12,479.96 km2 (4,818.54 sq mi). At the 2020 census it was home to 5,607,565 people, of whom 1,936,534 lived in the built-up area made of three urban districts. It is the second most populated city of Sichuan Province, after Chengdu. The administrative center is Shunqing District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1976 British Isles heatwave</span> Heatwave 1976

A period of unusually hot summer weather occurred in the British Isles during the summer of 1976. At the same time, there was a severe drought on the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. It was one of the driest, sunniest and warmest summers (June/July/August) in the 20th century, although the summer of 1995 is now regarded as the driest. Only a few places registered more than half their average summer rainfall. In the Central England temperature record, it was the warmest summer in the series until being surpassed in the 21st century. It was the warmest summer in the Aberdeen area since at least 1864, and the driest summer since 1868 in Glasgow.

Wanyuan is a county-level city in the northeast of Sichuan province, People's Republic of China, located near the trisection of Sichuan, Chongqing, and Shaanxi. Tamping Township is its municipality seat. Wanyuan has more than 100.000 inhabitants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhaotong</span> Prefecture-level city in Yunnan, Peoples Republic of China

Zhaotong is a prefecture-level city located in the northeast corner of Yunnan province, China, bordering the provinces of Guizhou to the south and southeast and Sichuan to the northeast, north, and west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yongchuan, Chongqing</span> District in Chongqing, Peoples Republic of China

Yongchuan is a district of Chongqing, China, located by the north side of upper reach of Yangtze River, with a history of 1200 years. Yongchuan borders Sichuan province to the southwest and is 63 km (39 mi) away from Yuzhong District of central Chongqing and 276 km (171 mi) from Chengdu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishan, Chongqing</span> District in Chongqing, Peoples Republic of China

Bishan is one of the districts of Chongqing, China, with a history of over 2000 years. Bishan is 23 kilometers (14 mi) west of Chenjiaping in downtown Chongqing. Formerly a county, it became a district on 6 June 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of China</span> Overview of the climate of China

Owing to tremendous differences in latitude, longitude, and altitude, the climate of China is extremely diverse. It ranges from tropical in the far south to subarctic in the far north, and alpine in the higher elevations of the Tibetan Plateau. Monsoon winds, caused by differences in the heat-absorbing capacity of the continent and the ocean, dominate the climate. During the summer, the East Asian Monsoon carries warm and moist air from the south and delivers the vast majority of the annual precipitation in much of the country. Conversely, the Siberian anticyclone dominates during winter, bringing cold and comparatively dry conditions. The advance and retreat of the monsoons account, in large degree, for the timing of the rainy season throughout the country. Although most of the country lies in the temperate belt, its climatic patterns are complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huili</span> County-level city in Sichuan, China

Huili is a county-level city of far southern Sichuan province, China. It is under the administration of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture.

The Chinese city of Chongqing has a history dating back at least 3,000 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 China drought and dust storms</span>

The 2010 China drought and dust storms were a series of severe droughts during the spring of 2010 that affected Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Sichuan, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Chongqing, Hebei and Gansu in the People's Republic of China as well as parts of Southeast Asia including Vietnam and Thailand, and dust storms in March and April that affected much of East Asia. The drought has been referred to as the worst in a century in southwestern China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Northern Hemisphere heat waves</span> Summer heat waves

The 2010 Northern Hemisphere summer heat waves included severe heat waves that impacted most of the United States, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, Hong Kong, North Africa and the European continent as a whole, along with parts of Canada, Russia, Indochina, South Korea and Japan during July 29 2010. The first phase of the global heatwaves was caused by a moderate El Niño event, which lasted from June 2009 to May 2010. The first phase lasted only from April 2010 to June 2010, and caused only moderate above average temperatures in the areas affected. But it also set new record high temperatures for most of the area affected, in the Northern Hemisphere. The second phase was caused by a very strong La Niña event, which lasted from June 2010 to June 2011. According to meteorologists, the 2010–11 La Niña event was one of the strongest La Niña events ever observed. That same La Niña event also had devastating effects in the Eastern states of Australia. The second phase lasted from June 2010 to October 2010, caused severe heat waves, and multiple record-breaking temperatures. The heatwaves began in April 2010, when strong anticyclones began to develop, over most of the affected regions, in the Northern Hemisphere. The heatwaves ended in October 2010, when the powerful anticyclones over most of the affected areas dissipated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 British Isles heatwave</span> Period of unusually hot weather in the summer of 2018

The 2018 Britain and Ireland heatwave was a period of unusually hot weather that took place in June, July and August. It caused widespread drought, hosepipe bans, crop failures, and a number of wildfires. These wildfires worst affected northern moorland areas around the Greater Manchester region, the largest was at Saddleworth Moor and another was at Winter Hill, together these burned over 14 square miles (36 km2) of land over a period of nearly a month.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 European heatwave</span> Heat wave leading to record-breaking temperatures in Europe during the spring and summer of 2018

The 2018 European drought and heat wave was a period of unusually hot weather that led to record-breaking temperatures and wildfires in many parts of Europe during the spring and summer of 2018. It is part of a larger heat wave affecting the northern hemisphere, caused in part by the jet stream being weaker than usual, allowing hot high-pressure air to linger in the same place. According to the European Drought Observatory, most of the areas affected by drought are across northern and central Europe. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the severe heat waves across the northern hemisphere in the summer of 2018, are linked to climate change in Europe, as well as events of extreme precipitation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 heat waves</span> Hotter than normal periods in 2022

In 2022, several areas of the world experienced heat waves. Heat waves were especially notable in East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Australia, western Europe, the United States, and southern South America. 2022 heat waves accounted for record-breaking temperatures and, in some regions, heat-related deaths. Heat waves were worsened by the effects of climate change, and they exacerbated droughts and wildfires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United Kingdom heatwaves</span> Periods of unusually hot weather in the summer of 2022

The 2022 United Kingdom heatwaves were part of several heatwaves across Europe and North Africa. The United Kingdom experienced three heatwaves; the first was for three days in June, the second for three days in July, and the third for six days in August. These were periods of unusually hot weather caused by rising high pressure up from the European continent. There were also more grass fires and wildfires than average, and in August a drought was declared in many regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 European heatwaves</span> Heat waves affecting Europe in 2022

From June to August 2022, persistent heatwaves affected parts of Europe, causing evacuations and a confirmed death toll of 24,501. However, upper estimates suggested more than 61,000 heat-related deaths between 30 May and 4 September. These heat waves were the deadliest meteorological events in 2022. The highest temperature recorded was 47.0 °C (116.6 °F) in Pinhão, Portugal, on 14 July.

References

  1. "Weather, Climate and Catastrophe Insight" (PDF). Aon Benfield . Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  2. Wang, Vivian (26 July 2022). "Hotter, Longer and More Widespread Heat Waves Scorch China". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  3. May, Tiffany (23 June 2022). "Extreme Weather Hits China With Massive Floods and Scorching Heat". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  4. Feng, Emily (20 August 2022). "China battles its worst heat wave on record". National Public Radio. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  5. Newburger, Emma (19 August 2022). "China issues first national drought emergency amid scorching temperatures". CNBC. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  6. Yu, Verna (7 September 2022). "China reports 'most severe' heatwave and third driest summer on record". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  7. "Combined intensity of heat wave events has reached the strongest since 1961 according to BCC". China Meteorological Administration. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  8. Le Page, Michael (23 August 2022). "Heatwave in China is the most severe ever recorded in the world". New Scientist.
  9. "Rekordhitze und Überschwemmungen" (in German). Tagesschau. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  10. Ankenbrand, Hendrik (22 August 2022). "China leidet unter der Hitzewelle". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  11. Zinke, Olaf (22 August 2022). "Schlimme Dürre in China – Notstand und Ernteschäden" (in German). Agrarheute. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  12. Freedman, Andrew (22 August 2022). "China's unrivaled 70-day heat wave". Axios. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  13. May, Tiffany; Dong, Joy (18 August 2022). "Factory Shutdowns, Showers for Pigs: China's Heat Wave Strains Economy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  14. Böge, Friederike (18 August 2022). "Tausend Salven für etwas Regen". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  15. "再坚持几天,冷空气要来了". Archived from the original on 21 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  16. "中国长江流域旱情不止 246万人供水受影响". Archived from the original on 22 August 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  17. "南方高温将逐步缓和,北方冷空气、降水将带来缓解作用".
  18. "今日份凉爽你收到了吗?重庆大部降温,城口最凉爽仅18.2°C".
  19. "长江流域部分地区旱情缓解 形势仍严峻".
  20. "高温结束冷空气活跃 最新全国入秋进程图出炉".
  21. "Lights out for Shanghai's Bund as China heatwave sparks power cuts". France24. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  22. Bala, Sumathi (22 August 2022). "China's heatwave could have a knock-on effect on its economy, says economist". CNBC. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  23. Deng, Shawn; McCarthy, Simone (23 August 2022). "Wildfires rage as China's Chongqing suffers unrelenting record heat wave". CNN. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  24. "China's Yangtze river shrinks as heatwave, drought threaten crops". Reuters. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  25. "Its largest lake is so dry, China digs deep to water crops". The Indian Express. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.