Storms ahead for school semester

By Yan Zhen  |   2009-8-31  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

YESTERDAY'S cooler temperatures marked a temporary farewell to the scorching summer, with forecasters predicting a cooler week ahead.

Temperatures will fluctuate between 22 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees in the next five days, compared with the high of 36.8 degrees last Thursday, the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau reported yesterday.

And thunderstorms are expected today and tomorrow, the first day of the new semester for nearly 2 million local primary and elementary school students, said Chen Min, the bureau's chief service officer.

Yesterday's highest temperature slumped by 4 degrees to stand at 25.2 degrees, the coolest day since Shanghai's summer officially began in July.

Weathermen said cool breezes were brought by a weak cold front from the north.

"But the impact won't last very long," said Chen Min, the bureau's chief service officer. "With the subtropical high moving back, the mercury will climb gradually over the next week."

Drizzle was reported in some suburbs such as Fengxian District yesterday.