South and North China will continue experiencing unusually high temperatures until Wednesday, with a slim chance of rain in most parts, the national weather forecaster said on Sunday.

Hope, a giant panda in Wuhan Zoo, lies down to rest on a large piece of ice after lunch on Sunday, when the temperature in this muggy capital city of Hubei province hovered around 35 C. [China Daily]

Hot weather has persisted since June 30 in most of South China, where temperatures have often exceeded 35 C. The National Meteorological Center (NMC) expanded its yellow alert for high temperatures to include North China on Sunday, the NMC said on its website.

Highs in Beijing, Hebei, Chongqing, southern Zhejiang and central Jiangxi reached 37 C to 39 C on Saturday, it said.

Sunday's temperatures in most southern regions as well as in Beijing, Hebei, Henan, Shandong and Anhui were expected to reach 35 C to 39 C, with some reaching 40 C, chief forecaster Sun Jun said.

Hebei's provincial capital Shijiazhuang issued a top alert for hot weather on Sunday, while Chongqing, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hubei, Shanxi and Guangxi issued orange (second-level) weather alerts, the NMC said.

Changsha resident Wang Yan awoke late on Sunday morning to discover her water heater was broken, meaning she would have to take a cold shower.