Finally, an end to the cold spell as temperatures rise

Shanghai is finally warming up after a prolonged chilly spell early this week.

Around half of the city saw temperatures rise above 20 degrees Celsius on Thursday, with the city's benchmark Xujiahui Weather Station in the downtown area recording a high of 20.4 degrees, and the Pudong Station 21 degrees, the highest in the city.

The warm weather is expected to remain in the coming days, with clear skies and rising temperatures. By the weekend, they are forecast to hit 26 degrees.

However, the sunny weather may be temporarily interrupted by brief light rain on Sunday, with an increase in cloud cover.

A new cold front is on the way and expected to arrive by the middle of next week, bringing a significant temperature drop of around 10 degrees and scattered showers from Wednesday to Thursday.

Thursday marked this year's fourth solar term in traditional Chinese calendar, chunfen, or Spring Equinox, a day when daylight and nighttime hours are nearly equal. For Shanghai, this period often brings prolonged rainy weather, making it even wetter than the traditional Qingming period, which falls early next month.