China Water: June 9, 2008: Storms in Shanghai.

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Peter Huston
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/09/content_8329544.htm

Forecasters warn of more storms in Shanghai
www.chinaview.cn 2008-06-09 13:51:21

BEIJING, June 9 -- Forecasters are warning of more rain and thunderstorms in Shanghai Monday following the weekend's deluge.

This year's plum rain season began with a vengeance on Saturday with torrential rain turning roads into rivers and flooding houses in Shanghai. People in Pudong New Area even reported a hail of ice.

Thunderstorms or rainstorms are expected to hit the city this afternoon. And rainstorms are forecast for tomorrow morning. But the rain is expected to die out from tomorrow afternoon and after that, rain and cloudy weather will appear alternately in the city for the rest of the week, forecasters said.

The Shanghai Central Meteorological Station issued a yellow lightning alert at 3:05 p.m. on Saturday, and a yellow rainstorm alert 25 minutes later. Up to 5 p.m., the rainfall had reached 50 millimeters in several districts.

Station officials said they'd received several reports of ice hail in Pudong, but their local station did not record it. Forecasters said the hail-hit area was out of range.

Saturday's rainfall exceeded the city's drainage power, of 36 millimeters per hour, causing water to rise to levels of 10 to 20 centimeters on nearly 40 roads in Huangpu, Luwan, Changning districts and Pudong New Area. Water also flooded into more than 300 houses at depths of up to 20 centimeters, according to the Shanghai Flood Prevention Headquarters.

Temperatures today could reach 28 degrees Celsius, with a low of 21 to 23 degrees.

Forecasters said a subtropical high was moving northwest, and the warm and humid air current was growing stronger. There were also cold fronts intruding from the north causing rain to fall when the cold and warm air met.

The plum rain season, which usually begins when plums ripen, has hit a bit earlier than expected. Forecasters had said the season was most likely to arrive during the second 10-day period of June. The season is expected to end at the beginning of July.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)