BEIJING, June 12 -- China's National Meteorological Center on Wednesday evening continued to issue an orange alert for high temperatures as multiple regions in the country are experiencing sweltering heat.

During the daytime on Thursday, some areas in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan are expected to see temperatures as high as 35 degrees Celsius, according to the center.

It forecasts that maximum temperatures will reach 37 to 39 degrees Celsius in parts of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Hubei. Some areas may even experience scorching highs between 40 and 42 degrees.

Outdoor activities should be avoided during the high temperatures, and precautionary measures should be taken to protect vulnerable groups such as children and older people, the center said.

China has a three-tier warning system for high temperatures, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange and yellow.