Baking Beijing: Temperature Hit 40 Degrees Thursday

Something about Thursday so far this year: for the second Thursday in a row, temperatures in Beijing set a record. And this time, it wasn't just the hottest day of the year.

On Thursday, May 29, the thermometer went all the way up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), triggering a red alert (that's an actual color-coded warning) from the Beijing Municipal Weather Center, restricting outdoor work and school activities. That temperature reading broke a record for May 30 that had stood since 1951, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Power stations and fire departments were also put on alert, and Beijing citizens are asked to keep their power use as low as possible, given the sudden use of air conditioners across the city.

Hot weather is expected to last throughout the coming holiday weekend. With just over three weeks remaining until the solstice, it seems like summer just couldn't wait to get started.

Photo: english.sina.com