Beijing-China’s meteorological authority said the temperature in the capital hit a record for mid-June of 39.4 degrees Celsius (103 Fahrenheit) on Friday, warning the public to stay indoors.
“At around 2:30 pm on June 16, the temperature at Beijing’s Nanjiao observatory hit 39.4 degrees Celsius, breaking the record high for mid-June,” the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) wrote in a social media post. 
Scientists say global warming is exacerbating adverse weather, with many countries experiencing deadly heatwaves and temperatures hitting records across Asia in recent weeks. The CMA said the coming days would see temperatures above 37 degrees Celsius in Beijing, adding that “the public should reduce the duration of outdoor activity and beware of heatstroke”.
Beijing is under an orange alert for high temperatures -- the second-highest warning level. Eight provincial capitals across the country recorded their highest temperatures of the year so far on Thursday, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
In the capital, road surface temperatures exceeded 50 degrees Celsius, “which can easily cause road damage, vehicle tire blowout, spontaneous combustion and other traffic accidents”, city meteorologist Lei Lei told Xinhua.