2023: China ends hottest year on record — What to expect in 2024?

China's 2023 average temperature was the highest since records have been kept, official media reported on Tuesday, capping a year marked by harsh weather and breaking records.

Scientists claim rising global temperatures are aggravating the deadly heatwaves that swept through wide parts of Asia, Europe, and North America last summer.

According to official broadcaster CCTV, which cited the National Climate Centre, the average national temperature in China last year was 10.7 degrees Celsius (51.3 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking the record of 10.5 degrees set in 2021.

"The temperature across most of the country was higher by 0.5C-1C," the article read.

It further stated that during the course of the year, 127 national meteorological stations in China smashed records for daily high temperatures.

In July, Beijing set a 23-year record when it recorded 27 days in a row over 35C.

As the year went on, more records were set, including the capital's hottest-ever day in late October.

Experts caution that the likelihood of extreme weather is increased by greenhouse gas emissions-induced global warming.

In 2023, China's north witnessed disastrous floods in addition to record-breaking heat.

Additionally, a prolonged cold wave in the winter prompted officials to send out alerts over a large portion of the nation, and several locations hit record-low December temperatures.

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union, 2023 is expected to be the warmest year on record worldwide.