Okay, so in our last article, we started by saying "grab your umbrellas". That was more of a tongue-in-cheek comment, and we want to be very clear out the gate with this piece: carrying an umbrella during a lightning alert might not be the best idea, especially if the umbrella has a metal frame or tip, as metal can attract lightning. In situations where there’s a high risk of lightning, it’s safer to stay indoors and avoid holding metal objects, including umbrellas, outdoors. More down below.

Heavy Rains, Lightning, and Flood Alerts: What You Need to Know Right Now

Put those umbrella's away and stay inside. For the next three hours, we're going to get drenched in some parts of the city.

The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau has just issued a blue rainstorm warning, and it’s not looking good if you’re planning to stay dry for the next few hours.

Over 300 School Closures:

Pudong, Fengxian, and other affected districts closed schools across the area impacting more than 228,000 students.

What’s Happening?

Expect heavy rainfall across most of the city over the next 3 hours, with some areas getting slammed with 35 mm of rain in just one hour. That’s a lot of water in a very short amount of time, so heads up — urban flooding is a real risk, especially if you’re in low-lying areas where water tends to pool. This situation is especially exacerbated given that Shanghai has been hit by two Typhoons in less than a week.

City on Alert: Level IV Response Activated

In response to this mess of a weather situation, the Flood and Typhoon Response has been bumped up to Level IV. What does that mean? It’s official code for "the city is on alert." The flood defense teams are rolling into action, and the government’s out there trying to keep things under control before the streets turn into rivers. To date, at least 28 mobile pump trucks have been dispatched to support the drainage of severe flooding in Fengxian, Pudong, and other heavily affected areas.

What You Need to Do:

- Drive safe: If you’re behind the wheel, take it slow. Roads will be flooded, so keeping your car from turning into a submarine is probably a good idea. Avoid heavy puddles, watch out for pedestrians, and keep some extra distance from other vehicles.

- Stay indoors: It might be tempting to run errands or head out, but if it’s not absolutely necessary, don’t. Between the lightning and the flooding risk, it’s safer to ride this one out from home or the office.

The Long and the Short of It:

So, here’s the deal. You’ve got a couple of hours of heavy rain ahead, along with a serious chance of lightning. The city’s on high alert for flooding, and the streets are about to get messy. Stay safe, stay dry, and unless you’re really committed to braving the weather, maybe skip that late afternoon stroll.

More updates to follow as we see how this weather shapes up. Stay tuned to City News Service, and we’ll keep you posted on what’s next. Stay dry, Shanghai!