Next Monday, July 15, will officially mark the beginning of the “San Fu,” or the dog days of summer, which will last for 40 days this year. At the same time, the China Meteorological Administration predicts that in the next week, areas in the south and southeast of the country, such as Jiangnan and Huinan, will continue to experience persistent high temperatures, with highs ranging from 35 to 39 degrees Celsius.
Traditionally, according to the calendar, counting from the summer solstice, the third “Geng” day marks the beginning of the initial period of intense summer heat. This year, the San Fu period officially begins on July 15th, lasting for 40 days.
In an analysis by “Sky Eye News,” it was reported that in the current century, only the years 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014 had 30 days in the San Fu period, while the other 18 years all had a San Fu period of 40 days. From 2015 to 2024, the San Fu period has consistently been 40 days for ten consecutive years.
Some netizens expressed their thoughts, saying, “In these 40 days, I’m only missing a pinch of cumin between me and a barbecue.” Another remarked, “It’s been a lot more than just 40 days of high temperatures! June was basically all high temperatures, and it looks like July, August, and September will be hot too.”
Furthermore, there are citizens reminiscing about the past, saying, “I don’t remember the San Fu days being this hot when I was young. A hand fan woven from wheat stems used to be enough to shake off the summer. Nowadays, even electric fans are hardly enough, and without air conditioning, summer is unbearable.” Another shared, “In Tianjin, it’s always unbearable until early September. Then the humidity drops, the temperature difference between day and night increases gradually, and it’s only by late September that it becomes truly comfortable.”
On July 13th, the China Meteorological Administration announced that in the coming week, most areas in the south and southeast, such as Jiangnan and Huinan, will continue to experience persistent high temperatures, with highs between 35-39 degrees Celsius.
During the daytime on the 13th, areas in the central and eastern parts of Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, eastern Guangxi, central-northern Guangdong, eastern Xinjiang, western Inner Mongolia, and southern Shanxi had temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. Some areas in eastern Hunan, central-southern Jiangxi, central-southern Zhejiang, eastern Fujian, and eastern Xinjiang saw temperatures reaching 37-39 degrees Celsius.
It is expected that on the 14th, as the subtropical high pressure system moves northward, the range and intensity of the high temperatures in the southern regions will expand and strengthen, prolonging the duration of the heatwave.
Additionally, the main rain belt, stretching from Sichuan to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, is expected to shift further west and north along with the subtropical high pressure system. This will result in heavy rain in some areas of southern Sichuan Basin, northeast Hubei, and southeastern Anhui. Regions like Shandong, Henan, and Hebei will also see a significant increase in rainfall.