Temperatures in Beijing on Thursday hit a record high of around 40 degrees Celsius, the highest since 1951, said the capital's meteorological authorities.

Cyclists in the northern city of Tianjin adopt a variety of tricks to beat the heat yesterday after the mercury hit a record 40.5 degrees Celsius.

Beijing Municipal Warning Center upgraded its temperature warning to red at 1:00 p.m. Thursday. The red warning calls for power suppliers and fire departments to be on the alert, outdoor work and activities to be ceased and classes to be suspended at all schools.

The temperature on Thursday exceeded the high of 38.3 degrees Celsius on the same date in May 1951, said a notice released by Beijing Meteorological Bureau on Thursday noon, forecasting that temperatures of over 42 degrees Celsius are expected in some parts of the city on Thursday afternoon.

"The whole city smells like a barbecue. Those who are walking outdoors are recommended to carry seasoning and flip themselves frequently, or they will soon be burnt," said a popular online jest on Thursday.

"Unbearable hot? Want something cool? Just go and express your love to your favorite one and your heart might cool down," said another jolly online jokester.

The Beijing heatwave is expected to continue through the weekend.

China has a four color weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

It's pretty hot in neighboring regions of Tianjin, Hebei,Shandong and Henan also with record high temperatures.

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