Shanghai Logs Third-Longest Summer at 153 Days

Shanghai's summer has refused to leave — and the city has now broken a 153-year record for logging the hottest day in mid-October.

According to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, the temperature at Xujiahui Station hit 33.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday, breaking the mid-October high-temperature record set since 1872.

With that, this year's summer has lasted 153 days, ranking among the top three longest summers in the city's history.

Normally, Shanghai's summer spans about 134 days. The previous record was 162 days in 2021. But this year, even after the "Cold Dew" solar term, residents are still wearing T-shirts and using fans.

"It's October, but it still feels like August," said one local to Shanghai Television. "My baby even got a heat rash — autumn hasn't arrived at all."

The prolonged heat and humidity have also disrupted the city's natural rhythm. At Minhang Cultural Park, lotuses continue to bloom.

In Jiading's Qiuxiapu Garden, lotus flowers and water lilies are still standing tall, while osmanthus trees, usually in full bloom by early October, remain mostly green.

At the Shanghai Botanical Garden, many osmanthus blossoms have wilted before fully blooming, with unopened buds still clinging to the branches — a clear sign of how temperature shifts are confusing nature's clock.

"Usually the city smells of osmanthus by late September," said a visitor. "This year, there's hardly any fragrance."

Relief is finally in sight. Forecasters say a cold front will sweep into Shanghai, bringing rain, strong winds, and a long-awaited drop in temperature over the coming weekend.

By then, daytime highs are expected to fall to around 20 degrees, marking the true arrival of autumn.

For now, however, the city continues to sweat under record-breaking heat — a reminder of just how unpredictable the weather has become in recent years.