Heavy rainfall in China expected to move north

Heavy rainfall lumbering along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River for a long time is expected to start moving north on Wednesday, bringing thunderstorms, high winds and torrential rain to large swathes of North China, the National Meteorological Center said on Monday.

As heavy rains were predicted to subside markedly on Tuesday in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, temperatures in these areas will spike on Wednesday, ushering in a period of sultry days ahead, the center said.

To the north, most areas will see small to moderate rain and thunderstorms this week, with stronger precipitation predicted in parts of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, and Shanxi and Hebei provinces.

Heavier rainfall is also likely to hit northwestern and northern China earlier next week, according to the center.

The center also noted that parts of Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangdong and Hainan provinces were forecast to see temperatures surging to nearly 40 C this week.