Thunderstorms on the way as plum rains end

By Steffie Lu  |   2009-7-9  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

ALTHOUGH the plum rain season ended yesterday, residents may be forgiven for not noticing the difference as thunderstorms are forecast every day from today through Sunday.

The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau also said the week's high temperature will hit 37 degrees Celsius although it will be a bit cooler on Saturday with the mercury dipping below 35 degrees. Overnight lows will be 26 to 27 degrees.

Forecasters said the rainbelt that hovered above the city during the plum rains has moved to Huaihe Valley because a subtropical high has strengthened. The subtropical high also causes the heat, the bureau said.

Yesterday the high reached 36.1 degrees and power demand peaked at more than 20 million kilowatts, the most this year, Shanghai Electric Company said.

It said peak power demand this summer could reach more than 24 million kilowatts.

This year's plum rain season arrived later, was shorter and dumped less rain on the city than average. About 155 millimeters or rain fell, 99 millimeters less than usual.