China could see more extreme weather events this rainy season, forecasters say
- Conditions expected to be normal to ‘relatively worse’, with more droughts and floods in some regions, according to National Climate Centre
- Parts of the north may be in for more intense rainfall, while there could be extreme heatwaves in eastern and central China and Xinjiang in the west
The NCC said the conditions were expected to be generally normal to “relatively worse”, with more droughts and floods in certain regions.
Parts of the north could experience more intense rainfall, while some eastern and southwestern areas may have more droughts, according to the latest NCC forecasts.
The southern province of Guangdong has already recorded its heaviest rainfall in May since 2003. Twenty-one cities – or 76 per cent of the province – experienced more than 100mm of rainfall within 24 hours last week. Some 17 cities and counties in the province had extreme daily rainfall of more than 250mm. Schools and public transport were suspended in major cities including Guangzhou and Zhuhai.
Heavy rains also battered the neighbouring Guangxi Zhuang region last week, with more than 27,000 people across 22 counties affected. Some 2,400 hectares of crops were damaged and 238 people had to be relocated, according to state news agency Xinhua.
China has seen an increase in extreme rainfall as well as heatwaves over the past six decades due to the impact of the monsoon system and rising temperatures.