Beijing residents are currently experiencing an unusually wet summer - welcomed by some and disliked by others.

"For the past few days it has rained every evening. It has helped to disperse the pollution and create pleasantly cool nights," Ding Su, a resident, said.

"I have lived in the city for almost eight years. It is the first time I am actually enjoying a cool summer. In June, I normally turn my air conditioner on, but so far I have not had to do so."

Statistics show that in the first six months of this year, total rainfall has been 200 mm, a record high not experienced in the past 10 years.

More rain is forecast for Beijing this month. Thirty years of weather data collected by the weather observatory show the average rainfall could be about 150 mm this month, accounting for one-third of the annual rainfall.

Residents should be prepared for thunderstorms this week, weather experts said.

Atmospheric humidity could reach 60 percent, while in winter it is usually about 20 percent.

Weather forecasters said almost everyday during the month there will be strong precipitation.

However, they could not predict which areas of the capital will receive the most rain.

The top temperature will be about 32 C.

Not all residents have welcomed the weather.

"Most showers are occurring during the evening rush hour," a bank employee, Wang Bin, said. "It adds to the chaos on the roads, which is normally bad even on a clear day."

Another office worker surnamed Wang said: "Sometimes it rains during the morning rush hour, forcing me to catch a taxi because everyone is rushing to get on public transport."

Farmers in the suburbs of the capital are not too pleased either.

The heavy downpour on June 23 hit vegetable gardens and orchards in the Daxing and Changping districts.

(China Daily July 1, 2008)