Warmer temperatures but more rain expected this week

The mercury is expected to rise slightly this week after the solar term xiazhi, or summer solstice, fell on Sunday.

But rain will continue, with the three-day Dragon Boat Festival subject to thundershowers.

Shanghai woke to rain on Sunday, with central and southern areas receiving heavy or torrential downpours.

The thick cloud cover obscured Sunday's solar eclipse. 

Several night events and fairs were also cancelled.

Showers and thundershowers will continue this week with the "plum rain" belt lingering between the Yangtze River and Huaihe River and northern areas of Jiangnan, which means south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

There will be rain on Monday with heavy downpours in western Shanghai.

Commuter are advised to leave home early and carry an umbrella.

The temperature from Monday to Thursday will mainly range between 21 and 27 degrees Celsius except for a high of 29 degrees expected on Wednesday.

Starting Friday, the highest temperature will bounce back to the low thirties with the warmth continuing to the next week.

The solar term xiazhi's arrival on Sunday indicates that the hottest period of summer is coming soon.

In Shanghai, the xiazhi period is associated with rain. The average rainfall in the downtown is 136.1 millimeters and the average temperature is 26.2 degrees.

In past years, there were about two days with a high of up 35 degrees in this period.