Clement weather sees off winter

By Lu Feiran  |   2008-12-9  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THE city will have a relatively warm week before another cold front hits us at the weekend, weathermen said yesterday.

The maximum temperature is expected to rise above 15 degrees Celsius from today, meaning the city will have to wait for some time before it can officially welcome winter, said the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.

The highs of today and tomorrow will rise to between 18 and 19 degrees, with lows ranging between 6 and 9 degrees, forecasters said.

A weak cold front is expected to affect the city on Thursday, but the mercury will not fall very far. The maximum temperature will linger around 15 degrees, with lows of around 7 degrees, forecasters said.

"The warm weather retarded the city's move into winter," said Fu Yi, a forecaster with the bureau.

Usually winter comes when the daily average temperature drops under 10 degrees for five straight days.

On Saturday, cloud is expected to thicken as a stronger cold front arrives. The temperature will drop to around 10 degrees, forecasters said.

The city's water authorities have started wrapping pipes to prevent them bursting, officials said.

The Shanghai Metro operator said oil had been applied to Metro lines 3 and 4 to prevent them freezing at night.