Shanghai Spring? Flowers Bloom in Warm January Spell But Colder Days Loom

Shanghai is experiencing an unexpected taste of spring these days as temperatures climb to around 20 degrees Celsius, warm enough to coax the city's iconic osmanthus trees to bloom.

According to local meteorological authorities, temperatures of 20 degrees or above in mid-January have appeared in fewer than 1 percent of years in Shanghai, based on more than 150 years of records from the Xujiahui weather station.

The warm spell continued on Thursday, with morning temperatures across most districts ranging between 1 and 8 degrees, while daytime highs climbed close to 20 degrees under mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies.

The contrast has been striking, with day-night temperature gaps exceeding 12 degrees in many areas and reaching nearly 18 degrees in some suburban districts.

The unusual warmth has also nudged nature off its usual rhythm. In several neighborhoods, osmanthus – typically associated with early autumn – has begun blooming again.

On social media platform Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, one user joked that the flowers seemed "too busy this year to ever clock out", while another quipped that osmanthus might as well adopt a new flower language – dedication.

The mild spell, however, is nearing its end.

Forecasters say temperatures will remain relatively high through Friday, with daytime maximum around 19 degrees. By Saturday, thicker cloud cover and the chance of brief light rain are expected, while temperatures are likely to ease back to between 10 and 16 degrees.

Sunshine is forecast to return on Sunday, but it will be only a brief pause before Shanghai heads into a weather roller coaster next week.

A strong cold front is expected to bring gusty winds, a sharp temperature drop, and rain in the first half of next week, with snow or sleet possible. Clearer but colder weather will follow later in the week, with temperatures expected to fall to around freezing.

Unusual weather patterns are taking shape over the western Pacific, where Nokaen, the year's first typhoon, formed on Thursday afternoon over waters east-southeast of Manila, Philippines. Forecasters say the typhoon is moving slowly northwest and expected to strengthen in the coming days. Such an early formation is rare, as the average start date for typhoons in the region falls in late March.

"Given its distance from Shanghai, the system is not expected to have any direct impact on the city," meteorological authorities noted.

Despite the brief taste of spring, winter is far from over, and people are advised to dress in layers and keep a close eye on the latest forecasts as conditions continue to shift.