With the annual plum rain season ending yesterday, Shanghai is to have a blast of hot air. Meteorologists predicted a high of 35 degrees Celsius for the weekend.

Scorching sunshine will be the norm and today's high temperature is expected to be 34 degrees, the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau said.

"Cloudy weather may prevail through the weekend, while showers are still likely in some areas, but those are not related to the plum rain belt," said Dai Xinfu, the city's chief meteorologist, adding that the high temperature at the weekend could hover between 33 to 35 degrees.

The plum rain season, named after the time of the year when the fruit matures, usually begins in mid-June and ends some 20 days later. It is usually caused by a moisture belt that hovers each year over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Starting on June 19, this year's rainy season in fact saw a scarcity, the total rainfall being 239 millimeters. In the shortest 11-day season last year, precipitation reached 245 millimeters.

"The rain belt was pushed away from the city by tropical storm Nakri, but the storm won't hit the city," said Dai.

Meanwhile, a high-pressure belt originating in the ocean is gradually extending west and bringing sunny weather to Shanghai, the meteorological bureau reported.

Due to the belt, average temperatures in mid-July are likely to be 27 to 28 degrees Celsius, one or two degrees higher than the plum rain period. The extreme high could reach 35 degrees, meteorologists said.

This summer, residents may have to endure up to 15 searing days when the mercury will climb to 35 degree, weathermen predicted.

However, heavy rainstorms are likely as two to three typhoons may hit the city until September, in addition to the active cold fronts from northern China.

( eastday.comJuly 12, 2002)