Exact weather forecasts for downtown districts
Shanghai will develop an intelligent weather system to provide exact weather forecasts for different downtown districts.
The system is set to be introduced to serve the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) in November, according to city's weather bureau.
Previously, the nine suburban districts had their own regional weather forecasts and warnings.
Now the seven downtown districts are also set to have localized services.
As the seven downtown districts only occupy 10 percent of the city, the forecasts are more challenging.
The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau is using data from meteorological satellites, rockets, radars and drone exploration technologies as well as enhancing the application of the Internet, artificial intelligence and big data.
Even some very brief scattered drizzle can be caught by these technologies.
Dong Rong, head of the bureau, said Shanghai's high resolution regional data forecast technology has reached world leading level. The rain forecast can be accurate to less than 1 square kilometer.
Xue Jun, deputy director of Huangpu District's flood control office, said on August 21 last year, their office received a warning it would have a downpour in 1 hour.
They sent work teams to flood prone area averting overflows.
In Xuhui District, the weather data has been combined with the district's operation data and established models to give advice on the district's management.
Wang Qiang, deputy director of the Shanghai Meteorological Disaster Prevention Technology Center, said this system uses artificial intelligence technology and has self-learning ability, which has helped to rise the accuracy of forecasts by 50 percent in the past year.
The weather bureau had applied its exact forecast and warning technologies to guarantee local enterprises' production and residents' health.
In May 2017, it provided support for the maiden flight of homemade large passenger plane C919.
It also set up a key laboratory for research on health and weather, which developed several products to forecast the risk of diseases such as colds, pediatric asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heat stroke.