It’s official: autumn has arrived

By Chen Qian  |   2008-10-16  |     ONLINE EDITION

IT’S time to get out the sweaters and fall jackets.

Autumn has officially arrived meteorologists said after the average daily temperature dipped below 22 degrees Celsius for five straight days starting on Saturday.

Although 144 days of summer ended on Saturday, people may still feel warm in the afternoon if its sunny, weathermen said.

Yesterday's high hit 27 degrees while tomorrow's temperature will range between 18 and 25 degrees, forecasters said.

Some showers are forecast on Sunday with a slight temperature drop.

Autumn has arrived later in recent years and the fall season has been shortened as the city’s climate has warmed up, meteorologists said. Last year autumn did not begin until October 23, the latest in the city's history, forecasters said.

The average temperature from June to August this year was 27.8 degrees, less than the average of 28 degrees in summers since 2003.

Summer lasted 149 days last year and 156 days in 2006, said forecasters.