Autumn has officially arrived.

With yesterday's average daily temperature holding below 22 degrees Celsius, weathermen have officially announced the end of summer and the beginning of fall in Shanghai.

A photographer takes aim in Fuxing Park of Shanghai yesterday. The city has entered the fall season, local weathermen said. Autumn arrives late in recent years due to global warming.

The arrival of the new season comes with several windy and rainy days in the forecast, as a cold air mass is headed toward Shanghai.

Autumn officially arrived last Friday, the first of five consecutive days with a daily average temperature below 22 degrees, according to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.

Over the past 30 years, the season has generally arrived in late September, but it has been starting later and later in recent years. During the past two years, autumn began on either October 1 or 2. The delayed arrival is connected with global warming, weathermen explained.

A cold air mass will start to affect the city from Friday, bringing stronger winds and some rain, as well as cooler temperatures.

Temperatures today will be almost the same as yesterday, hovering between 18 and 26 degrees.

(Shanghai Daily October 12, 2005)