The driest Shanghai for 138 years

A foreign trio rests on the Bund yesterday, when the high hit 31 degrees Celsius. Today and tomorrow the high will stay at around 31-32 degrees.(Photo: Shanghai Daily)
Since January, Shanghai has experienced its longest dry period in 138 years, according to a report released yesterday by the Shanghai Municipal Meteorological Bureau.

Urban areas have recorded just 132.9 millimeters of rainfall since the beginning of this year, the lowest level since 1873, said the report.

The city already experienced a dry and cold winter last year, with the lowest average temperatures since 1978, the report said.

Shanghai has had a relatively short spring as well, according to the report. Spring only lasted for 48 days this year, more than 20 days shorter than the average 71-day spring.

It is predicted that the city will face unusually high temperatures over the coming summer months, according to the report.

While rain is on the way, there will be less than usual in the oncoming flood season, Shanghai's weather authority said at the government's annual anti-flood meeting yesterday.

Total precipitation in the flood season from June to September is likely to be around 550 to 650 millimeters - compared to a 703-millimeter average over the past decade, said Yuan Shaohong, deputy director of the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.

About 170 to 210 millimeters of rain is expected during this year's "plum rain" season, which is likely to occur earlier than the usual mid-June to mid-July period.

Data show that two typhoons are predicted to influence the city's weather this summer, Yuan said.

Source: Shanghai Daily

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