The snow and rain which have been drenching the city for the
past four days probably constitute one of the city's heaviest falls
ever.
Weathermen said that by 8pm yesterday, the city had experienced
rain and snow measuring 47.9 millimeters since Friday, more than
the previous record fall noted on January 17 and 18 in 1984.
Yesterday Chongming County suffered the most heaviest snow storm
in the city with 16 centimeters of snow collecting on the island.
In downtown Xujiahui area 1.5 centimeters of snow was recorded,
officials said.
Some areas of the city had not only snow and rain, but also ice
particles, said the Shanghai Metereological Bureau. "Ice particles
are formed when the temperature near the ground is even lower than
that in the sky,'' said Dai Jianhua, a bureau forecaster.
Dai said the snow that began falling at midnight started to melt
during the day, reducing the ground surface temperature and causing
the ice particles to form.
The bureau changed its yellow road freeze alert on Saturday to
an orange one at 8:07am.
The snow is expected to stop early this morning and overcast
skies are expected for the next three days, with drizzle and some
snow. But more heavy snow is expected on Friday when a cold front
south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River moves north.
Forecasters say it will not be as severe as the snow of the past
few days.
(Shanghai Daily January 29, 2008)