SHENZHEN welcomed the onset of summer March 22, marking a historic milestone as the earliest arrival of the season since the city began recording meteorological data in 1952.

This year, the commencement of summer arrived a staggering 29 days ahead of the average start date observed in previous years. The previous record for the earliest onset of summer was noted March 25, 2021.

Data provided by the city’s meteorological observatory revealed that the moving average temperature over five consecutive days, from March 20 to 24, stood at 22.6 degrees Celsius.

March 22 signaled the initiation of summer due to being the first day within this timeframe to record a daily average temperature surpassing 22 degrees Celsius. Moreover, projections suggested that the subsequent five-day moving average temperature was unlikely to dip below this threshold. Consequently, it was declared that Shenzhen had transitioned into summer March 22.

The city’s meteorological observatory stated that people have just experienced the hottest year on record. This year, Shenzhen has set a new record for the earliest arrival of summer, indicating that the warming trend of the climate system is still ongoing and accelerating. (Wang Jingli)