China sees less rainfall, higher temperatures in July

BEIJING, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- China registered less rainfall and higher temperatures in July, the China Meteorological Administration said Wednesday.

The average precipitation in July was 96.6 millimeters, 20.6 percent less than that of the same period of normal years and marking the second lowest since 1961, the administration cited the data in a press conference.

In July, the national average temperature was 23.2 degrees Celsius, which was 1 degree Celsius higher over the same period of normal years and marked the second hottest July since 1961.

The country saw 5.6 days with the highest temperature reaching or topping 35 degrees Celsius within the day on average last month, two days more than the same period of normal years.

The red alert for high temperatures, the most severe warning in China's four-tier color-coded weather warning system, surged 753 percent year on year in July.