Unprecedented heat in North China: How soil moisture amplified 2023's record heat wave

Unprecedented heat in North China: How soil moisture amplified 2023's record heat wave

This summer, much of North China has endured widespread temperatures above 35°C. Even typically cooler, high-latitude summer retreats like Harbin in Northeast China—usually a refuge from the heat—saw temperatures soar past 35°C in late June and July. As climate change accelerates, extreme heat events will become increasingly frequent.