Downpours expected for Dragon Boat and beyond

Heavy rains will hit the city next week as the plum rain season approaches, weather authorities say.

Friday is set to be cloudy, with a high temperature reaching 30 degrees. Skies will be cloudy to overcast over the weekend. The high will hover around 28 degrees. Meanwhile, air quality will remain good.

A subtropical heatwave is set to gain strength from Sunday, bringing a string rainy days next week, according to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.

On Monday, the day of Dragon Boat Festival, downpours will happen across the city. Rains will get heavier from Tuesday and last for several days, indicating the arrival of the plum rain season.

According to records from the Xujiahui weather station, plum rain season usually starts on June 17 and lasts for three weeks. But its arrival is determined by several factors, such as average temperature readings and rainfall levels, forecasters said.

Xiazhi, or summer solstice in the Chinese calendar, will fall on Thursday next week. The solstice marks the longest day of the year, and typically coincides with a steady increase in temperatures.

After the plum rain season ends, the city will enter the dog days of summer.