Beijing records hottest June day since weather records began as heatwave hits China

Nanjiao weather station in southern Beijing hits 41.1C, half a degree higher than the station's previous monthly record

Beijing logged its hottest June day since records began on Thursday, the national weather service said, as swathes of northern China sweltered in 40-degree heat.

On Friday the capital upgraded its warning for hot weather to red" - the highest in a colour-coded alert system - saying most parts of the city could roast in temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.