Heatwave hits Beijing
( 2002-05-31 15:56 ) (8 )

The Chinese capital is sweltering under a heatwave which started Thursday, with temperatures hitting 35 degrees Celsius, the Beijing Morning Post has reported.

The newspaper quoted meteorological specialists as saying that Friday's highest temperature will continue to linger around 35 degrees and the low at 19 degrees, with comparative humidity of 45 percent.

The weather for the forthcoming weekend will be mostly sunny, and the temperature will hover around 33 to 34 degrees, followed by slight rainfall on June 4.

The dry weather and high temperatures are expected to last until July when the rainy season begins in the city, and this year 's temperatures are forecast to peak after mid-June.

The highest recorded temperature in Beijing was 42 degrees Celsius in 1998.