Temperatures as high as 40 C are forecast to continue in Southwest China until Friday, while severe weather including hail and rainstorms is expected to batter northern parts of the country for the next few days, the National Meteorological Center said.

On Monday, temperatures in Chongqing and the provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou and Hunan reached 40 C to 42 C, shattering records kept by local weather stations, the center said.

The center issued alerts for high temperatures over the past five days.

Sichuan's provincial government gave 10 to 18 yuan ($1.55 to $2.80) in daily high temperature subsidies to each outdoor worker, Sichuan Daily reported on Tuesday.

Media outlets in Hanzhong, Shaanxi, said a local government notice asked construction companies to allow employees to avoid working in the heat or suspend work outdoors. The high temperatures have scorched the city's kiwi fruit farms, and the notice called for measures to be taken.

It added that after the heat wave, severe convective weather－which involves the vertical movement of heat and moisture－may cause landslides and floods, and the authorities need to be prepared.

Under the influence of Typhoon In-Fa, northern provinces including Liaoning and Shandong, and the central provinces of Henan and Hubei were hit by severe convective weather recently.

The typhoon, which formed on July 18, affected East China, including the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui, for about 10 days. It dwindled and moved northward to form a tropical low by Friday, the center said.

Over the weekend, Shangqiu and Hebi in Henan province experienced hail and thunderstorms, local media reported.

Fang Chong, chief forecaster from the center, said such weather will occur frequently in central and northern provinces due to atmospheric conditions.

"Affected by the typhoon, most areas accumulated water vapor near the ground. A cold mass came southward and met the vapor. The combination of coldness and heat created favorable conditions for the severe convective weather," he said.

"In August, such weather is still highly likely to occur."

A tropical low above the northern part of the South China Sea was approaching quickly and was likely develop into a typhoon and make landfall in southern China on Thursday, the center said.

After that, the region south of the Yangtze River was forecast to see heavy rain and strong winds this week.

Starting Friday, Sichuan and Guizhou will see relief from the heat thanks to rain brought by the typhoon.