Moderate to heavy pollution expected on Tuesday and Wednesday
Shanghai will encounter short-term moderate to heavy pollution on Tuesday and Wednesday due to poor diffusion conditions and pollutants transferred from out of the city.
According to Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center, Shanghai’s Air Quality Index will surpass 100, the threshold for slight pollution on Tuesday afternoon.
By Tuesday evening, the index will climb further to 150, with the tiny hazardous PM2.5 particles being the major pollutant. The pollution is mainly caused by accumulation of local pollutants and poor diffusion conditions.
On Wednesday, more pollutants are expected to be transferred into the city. The AQI for Wednesday is forecast to be between 135 and 155, surpassing the threshold for moderate pollution of 151.
According to the center, short-time heavy pollution — with the AQI surpassing 200 — can be expected on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
The situation is expected to ease starting from Thursday, with the AQI forecast to be between 45 and 65, or good.
Shanghai will be mostly cloudy for the rest of the week with the highest temperature hovering between 19 and 22 degrees Celsius. The temperature will be 17 degrees on Tuesday, falling to 14 degrees on Thursday.
According to Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, a cold front will affect the city at the weekend, and there will be heavy winds. On Saturday, the mercury will range from 11 to 16 degrees.
Short-time heavy pollution, with the AQI surpassing 200, can be expected on Tuesday and Wednesday.
