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December 4, 2012

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Winter likely to start this week

SHANGHAI has likely been in its meteorological winter since Sunday, as a strong cold front is dragging the average temperature down below 10 degrees Celsius this week.

The lows in the next few days are expected to drop to 1 to 4 degrees Celsius, said the Shanghai Observatory.

Tomorrow is expected to be the coldest day this week with a low of only 1 degree Celsius in the early morning and a high of 11 degrees.

Since Sunday, the city's average temperature has been below 10 degrees Celsius and, according to the observatory's five-day forecast, the averages from today to Thursday should all be below 10 degrees.

According to the city's standard of season changing, meteorological winter is indicated by an average temperature of 10 degrees or less for five consecutive days and the first day of five would be announced as the first day of the season, which this year should be this past Sunday.

A cold front started to influence the city yesterday afternoon with gusty winds and that forced residents to turn up their collars and don scarves.

It should be dry this week and partly cloudy, according to the Shanghai observatory.

Today's low was forecast at 4 degrees Celsius, with a high of 10 degrees.

The city's air quality has improved with the heavier wind. Yesterday's air quality was good, said the Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center.

"There could be some light fog brought by the cold, but the air quality also is dependent on local conditions, for example, the local pollutant emissions and the atmospheric situation," said Zhu Jiehua, a chief service officer of the observatory.

Medical experts are warning people about the increased risk of respiratory diseases with the drop of temperature.

"People with chronic obstructive pneumonia must be especially aware in winter, since they are more likely to have acute outbreaks with particulates, automobile exhaust and cold air," said Dr Bai Chunxue, director of Zhongshan Hospital's respiratory department. "One acute outbreak can seriously impact lung function and enhance the risk of death."

He said about 8.2 percent of Chinese over 40 have chronic obstructive pneumonia.




 

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