China’s average temperature in 2023 was the highest on record, official media reported Tuesday, ending a year marked by severe weather and breaking records.
Scientists say rising global temperatures are worsening the deadly heat waves that hit large parts of Asia, Europe and North America last summer.
According to the official broadcaster closed TV circuitAs cited by the National Climate Center, the average national temperature in China last year was 10.7 degrees Celsius (51.3 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking the record of 10.5 degrees set in 2021.
“The temperature in most of the country increased between 0.5ºC and 1ºC,” the article said.
It further stated that over the course of the year, 127 national weather stations in China broke records for daily maximum temperatures.
In July, Beijing set a 23-year record when it recorded 27 straight days of over 35°C.
As the year progressed, more records were broken, including the hottest day ever recorded in the capital at the end of October.
Experts warn that the likelihood of extreme weather events increases with global warming induced by greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2023, northern China witnessed disastrous flooding in addition to unprecedented heat.
Additionally, a prolonged cold snap in the winter led officials to send out alerts across much of the country, with several places reaching record temperatures in December.
According to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2023 is expected to be the warmest year on record worldwide.
