A cold mass from the north is expected to cool down Shanghai beginning today. However, autumn is still far away, said local meteorologists.

Yesterday's high of 34.5 degrees Celsius was a record for the day in Shanghai. The previous record was 33.4 degrees on September 18, 1917, according to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.

"A cold mass from the north will bring several days of rain and the temperature will drop sharply," said the bureau's chief meteorologist Chen Zhiqiang.

Today's high is expected to drop 6.5 degrees from yesterday to 28 degrees. The low will be 24 degrees, 2.4 degrees lower than yesterday.

The weekend and early next week will be wet, with temperatures dropping to 20 degrees on Sunday.

Several strong thunder-storms are also expected over the next few afternoons and evenings, said Chen.

Yesterday, sudden short thunderstorms hit most of the city, including Zhangjiang in Pudong, which received 83.4 milli-meters of precipitation within two hours in the afternoon.

However, the rain will not bring autumn to the city.

According to local meteorologists, autumn comes when there are five consecutive days with daily average temperature below 22 degrees. The average temperature of this week is expected to be 24 degrees, local weathermen said.

(eastday.com September 19, 2003)