City put on alert as typhoon approaches

Shanghai was put on a blue typhoon alert, the lowest on a four-tier system, at 8pm yesterday as Typhoon Jongdari approaches.

Residents are warned to brace for strong winds and heavy rains from late today into tomorrow. Precipitation is expected to reach up to 90 millimeters in some areas. 

Jongdari, this year’s 12th typhoon, is forecasted to make landfall somewhere between northern Zhejiang Province and northern Jiangsu Province as early as tomorrow morning, bring winds of up to 82.8 kilometers per hour, the National Meteorological Center said in a statement.

At 3pm yesterday, Jongdari was 445 kilometers offshore from the city of Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province.

Officials at the city’s flood control authority are also working to lower water levels at all inland rivers ahead of the upcoming rains. But as the scorching weather continues, 18 sluice gates in the Pudong New Area are first drawing water from the Yangtze River to regulate the water quality and prevent plants from being damaged by the heat.

Over the weekend, withering sunshine will return and the mercury will rebound to a high of 35 degrees Celsius. By next week, daily highs could exceed 38 degrees.