Another round of heatwaves are due to hit south China while torrential rain will fall in the north in the next two days, according to the Central Meteorological Station Tuesday.  

The southern provinces of Hubei, Sichuan, Guangdong and parts of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang will experience hot weather of 35 to 38 degrees Celsius. The temperature in Chongqing municipality and part of the Turpan Basin in Xinjiang will reach 39 to 40 degrees.

The heatwave will expand into most of Guangdong Province and western and northern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China on Thursday, according to Bi Baogui, director of the forecast office of the station.

Meanwhile, provinces along the Yellow River and Huaihe River in the north and northwest will experience strong rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday. Parts of Shaanxi, Shanxi and Hebei provinces, Inner Mongolia and the northernmost Heilongjiang province will receive thunderstorms and hail.

The station urged all areas to take all possible precautions against the heatwave and rain.

In addition, the station also reported this year's 12th typhoon, Krovanh, had weakened to a strong tropical storm by Tuesday morning. The typhoon is expected to generate winds of gale force seven to nine and bring heavy rains of 80 to 140 mm to Hainan, Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2003)