It seems that recently we have been on a rollercoaster of changing weather. During most of February the dull and drizzly days ‘washed away’ people’s enthusiasm for sightseeing, and most recently the mild temperature brought the city its first cherry blossoms. So, as we enter into March, it is expected we will continue to witness more variable weather, including gale-force winds, pollution and a sudden spike in temperature.
Yesterday, many residents experienced strong winds causing havoc in parts of the city. The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau triggered a blue alert for gale-force winds at 9.59am Wednesday morning and upgraded it to a yellow alert at 11.33am.
As the second level in the four-tier alarm system (blue, yellow, orange and red), the yellow alert suggests that wind speed in the following 12 hours could range between 50 kilometers per hour (14 m/s) and 102 kilometers per hour (28 m/s). Outdoor works are advised to suspend immediately.
According to the bureau, the gale-force winds are brought about by a cyclone generated at the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Often seen between March and July, cyclones are capable of turning cloudiness into heavy gales and showers.
With the air quality affected by the cyclone, this morning saw a sudden rise of pollutants as the AQI (Air Quality Index) passed 150, escalating to a high of 186 at noon. While an air pollution alert was not issued, children, the elderly and those with heart and lung diseases are advised to stay indoors.
With tomorrow being Lantern Festival, many citizens have planned to spend time with their families to celebrate the last day of the Spring Festival. The weather is forecast as cloudy, however that being said, you might as well take along an umbrella as there is still a possibility of showers in the wake of the cyclone.
It is predicted that the temperature will quickly climb to over 20 degrees Celsius over the weekend, with a high of 22 degrees Celsius on Saturday and 26 degrees Celsius on Sunday. However, don’t take this as a sign that winter is ending just yet, as the temperature is predicted to drop down to 9 degrees Celsius again on Monday.
According to the Weather Channel, we may still have a way to go before we can welcome in spring. For now, all we can do is remember to take a notice of the weather report and try not to catch a cold during this unpredictable weather.
