China is expected to have nearly 600 automatic weather observation stations by the end of next year, a meteorological official said Thursday.
China has built 164 automatic weather observation stations since 1998, and 106 more are under construction with 324 more to be launched later this year, said the official.
The 324 automatic weather observation stations will be operating by next April.
According to a plan formulated by the China Meteorological Administration, China will transform all of its 2,000 ground weather observation stations into automatic ones in coming years.
(Xinhua News Agency July 19, 2002)