Shanghai may yet experience wettest winter since 1919

Shanghai basked in only one-third of the normal amount of sunshine this winter on average, with 19 more gray, rainy days than general, the local weather bureau announced Monday.

According to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, by Sunday, the city had recorded 46 rainy days since December. 

Looking back at local weather history, the winter with the most rainy days occurring between December and February was from 1918 to 1919, and the number of wet days was 50. The same period from 1968 to 1969 came in at a close second, with 49 rainy days.

Since there are still three days left in February, this winter still has the chance to equal the second-highest record of 49, and possibly set a new record in March.

Data from the weather bureau show that in the past three months Shanghai has only received 145 hours of sunshine, far less than the usual 431 hours.

Meanwhile, the average temperature in February has been higher than January. But this February temperatures dropped by 0.4 degrees Celsius over last month, meteorologists said. They connected this rare phenomenon to the long-lasting wet conditions this winter.

They explained that the stable sunny weather pattern seen in late January raised the average temperature of the month, and the persistent rainy conditions in February have dragged the temperature down.

Forecasters said showers will be back Tuesday night and the overall wetness will last into early March. Temperatures next week will range between 5 and 13 degrees.