Xinjiang experiences record heat

Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in northwestern China experienced its hottest day of the year on Tuesday, with one weather station recording a temperature of 50 C.

At the Ayding Lake national meteorological station, the mercury climbed to 50 C, the first time this year that a national-level weather station in China has recorded a temperature of 50 C.

By 5 pm Tuesday, the highest temperature recorded at the Dongkan meteorological station in Turpan reached 49 C, breaking the station's record of 48.7 C, according to Weather China, a public weather information platform.

Turpan, located in the Turpan Basin, is one of China's hottest and driest regions and is known for experiencing some of the country's highest summer temperatures.

The National Meteorological Center renewed its yellow alert for high temperatures at 6 am Wednesday, forecasting daytime highs of 35 to 36 C across areas including Xinjiang, as well as Sichuan province and Chongqing in the southwest of the country.

Temperatures of 37 to 39 C are expected in parts of Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Gansu province, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, and Shaanxi, Hubei, Henan and Zhejiang provinces.

Some areas of Xinjiang, Sichuan and Chongqing could exceed 40 C, the center added.