As northern China experienced its initial autumn chill accompanied by relentless heavy rainfall this week, much of the southern regions remained engulfed in summer-like heat. In the southeast, temperatures have steadily risen since late September due to an unusually strong high-pressure system situated to the northeast. This has pushed daytime highs into the mid to upper 30s Celsius, a stark contrast to the typical cooling trend from around 30°C down to the mid-20s during this period. Some inland locations approached the 40°C mark, with Xiushui in Jiangxi province recording a sweltering 38.9°C on Wednesday-approximately 13 degrees above the average for early October.
Nighttime temperatures have remained elevated as well. Hong Kong, for instance, marked its fourth “very hot day” in October on Wednesday, defined by temperatures staying above 28°C throughout the day-a monthly record high. Weather models predict that this anomalous warmth across southeast China will persist for another week to ten days before cooler air masses from the north begin to take hold.
Conversely, northern China has been gripped by a sharp cold front colliding with lingering warmth, resulting in prolonged and heavy rainfall. Beijing endured over 36 hours of continuous rain by Thursday afternoon, with the city averaging 68.8mm (2.71 inches) of precipitation. Notably, a station in the Daxing district recorded an intense 140.4mm since Wednesday. This persistent downpour has suppressed temperatures significantly; Thursday marked Beijing’s chilliest early October day since 1951, with a maximum temperature of just 10.6°C-roughly 10 to 15 degrees below the seasonal norm.
People crossing a street in Beijing shielded by umbrellas during heavy rain.
This year, China has witnessed a surge in extreme rainfall events, a trend closely linked to global warming. With every 1°C rise in global temperatures, the atmosphere’s capacity to hold moisture increases by about 7%, intensifying precipitation patterns.
Meanwhile, typhoon activity remains active over the Pacific Ocean. Tropical Storm Nakri, which developed on Wednesday, has been moving northeastward toward Japan. Forecasts indicate it will curve eastward, mirroring the trajectory of Typhoon Halong, which is currently advancing into the northern Pacific.
Nakri is expected to strengthen into a typhoon as it skirts the southern coasts of Japan this weekend, with wind gusts potentially reaching 105 mph (169 km/h). It will likely transition into an extratropical cyclone as it encounters stronger vertical wind shear. While Japan’s main islands are predicted to avoid the storm’s most severe impacts, the Izu Islands south of Tokyo are once again at risk of experiencing intense winds and heavy rainfall. This will exacerbate the damage caused by Halong, which recently inflicted roof damage, power outages, and blocked roadways.
