What Just Happened?

The government's National Flood and Drought Control Headquarters – China's official "umbrella command" – issued a Level IV emergency response today at 4pm, targeting Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. Why? Because Typhoon Co-may, the eighth typhoon of the year, is now in play and aiming vaguely toward us from the East China Sea.

Level What Now?

China runs a four-tier emergency response system for floods and typhoons. Level I means "Noah, start building," while Level IV is the "bring your laundry inside" kind of warning. Still, it's the first official response of the summer in this part of the country, which means someone in Beijing is watching the skies closely – and already sending teams to help local officials sandbag, secure, and generally prepare for a wet few days.

Where Is Co-may?

At 2pm today (July 28), Co-may was loitering over the ocean, roughly 700km southeast of Zhoushan, Zhejiang. It's classified as a tropical storm right now, with winds blowing at a respectable Force 8, which translates to 62-74km/h. That's enough to make your shared bike veer into traffic.

The typhoon is expected to drift northwest into the East China Sea over the next few days and gradually intensify. So far, no direct landfall has been forecasted, but don't let that fool you – it's going to get wet.

What to Expect in the Next Few Days

Starting today and stretching through July 31, you can expect:

• Heavy to torrential rain across parts of Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
  
• Localized downpours that might trigger flash floods or turn your street into a duck pond.
  
• Strong winds along the coast.
  
• Delayed deliveries and soggy takeaway bags.
  
• If you were planning a rooftop party or a water-sensitive outdoor photoshoot, maybe pivot.
  

But It's Summer. Yes. A Moody Summer.

Climate watchers say warm sea surface temperatures – plus a transitioning El Niño – La Niña pattern – could make late summer 2025 unusually storm-heavy. So Co-may might just be the opening act.

What You Should Do

• Make your Sam's Club/Epermarket orders today so they arrive before Wednesday.
• Close your windows (especially those little roof vents that always leak).
  
• Avoid parking under trees or near scaffolding.
  
• Stay off the Bund when the winds kick up.
  
• Keep a flashlight, charger, and extra water at home – just in case.
  
• And maybe go easy on your courier if he shows up soaked.