Hangzhou sustains 40 degrees Celsius for a week
杭州连续一周遭遇40度高温天气
This summer in Hangzhou is sweltering. The umbrellas are not for rain, but shade. People are trying everything to stay cool.
The cave by the mountain was built in the 1970s as an air-raid shelter. But now it’s a perfect place for locals who want to escape the heat. Inside the cave, it’s a pleasant 22 degrees Celsius.
The weather is too hot. It’s not good and it’s expensive to stay at home because you need to have the air conditioner on.So I’d rather spend my whole day here.
And others have found a way to keep cool while they learn. Last Sunday, the number of visitors at Hangzhou Library exceeded 20,000, that’s triple the Library’s average number of visitors before the heatwave hit.
It’s very hot outside. But it’s comfortable and cool in here. It’s a good environment for study. I can focus better here than at home.
Hangzhou has registered temperatures of around 40 degrees Celsius since last Tuesday. It’s reached 40.5 degrees Celsius twice in the last 7 days, the highest figure since Hangzhou starting keeping temperature records in 1951.
Although Hangzhou boasts beautiful landscapes, most tourists are not venturing out in the day. Even the taxi drivers have noticed the drop in customers.
Mr. Chen, taxi driver, said, “Of course business is worse. There are fewer people on the street, and fewer tourists in the west lake district.”
But some people don’t have a choice. Since last Sunday, sanitation workers’ afternoon shifts have been changed from 12 midday to half past 3. But even so, it’s still hot, which makes their work more difficult.
The hot weather is forecast to last at least another week. But Hangzhou MET office says, they may have to resort to producing artificial rain to relieve the hot conditions.