Scorching heat has gripped parts of China as the country enters the height of summer. The meteorological bureau of Beijing said temperatures in the city reached their highest of the year on Monday. As of 2 p.m., temperatures in most of Beijing had risen to between 37and 39 degrees Celsius, and some areas downtown saw temperatures exceeding 42 degrees Celsius. The city has been hit by a heat wave since Saturday, with temperatures soaring to more than 35 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days, Xinhua reported. The bureau said temperatures will drop to around 36 degrees Celsius on Tuesday with temporary thunderstorms and increased cloud cover. The heat wave is expected to come to an end Wednesday with temperatures dropping to 30 degrees Celsius. The meteorological bureau of neighboring Tianjin Municipality said temperatures in the city reached as high as 39 degrees Celsius on Monday. High temperatures are expected to continue on Tuesday.