
In 2023, China experienced its hottest year since weather data recording began over sixty years ago, according to data from the National Climate Center. The national average temperature for the year was reported to be 10.7 degrees Celsius, the highest since 1961. This record-setting heat followed an extremely hot summer that saw several temperature records, particularly in the capital, Beijing.
The majority of mainland China experienced temperatures that were 0.5 to 1 degree Celsius above normal. In July, Beijing set a record for the number of consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius, reaching 27 days in a row.
During the same month, the Xinjiang region set a temperature record with a reading of 52.2 degrees Celsius in mid-July. Xinjiang is often the hottest region in China during the summer.
In recent months, China has faced extreme weather conditions that have been intensified by climate change, according to scientists. In August, unprecedented heavy rains hit Beijing and its surrounding areas, resulting in dozens of casualties. Similar extreme weather events occurred in the northeastern regions of China bordering Russia and North Korea.