Pudong records hottest day of year

It was 42 degrees Celsius in some parts of the Pudong New Area yesterday - the hottest day this summer. The official high temperature in downtown touched 38.6 degrees soon after noon, which was also the highest this summer, and topped the record 38.4 degrees on Monday. A netizen even posted a picture of a giant thermometer on Nanjing Road E., showing 42 degrees Celsius. Both the hottest and coolest areas were in Pudong. The Huanglou Observatory recorded a high of 41.9 degrees while the one in Lingang New City, a costal area in southeastern Pudong, reported a low of 31.8 degrees. It will be 39 degrees today, but should drop below 35 degrees over the weekend as the subtropical high is expected to weaken tomorrow. "There will be 22 high temperature days, with highs above 35 degrees likely to last until Friday - seven days more than the usual 15 days," Wu Rui, a chief service officer at the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, said. "The hot days may be less in August," Wu added. The maximum hot days - 23 - were recorded in July 1934. The night temperature in the city is also the highest, compared to other major cities in China. Residents who enjoy brisk walk late in the evening have been told to be careful. "The humidity in the air is higher in the evening," Dr Zhao Yun at Huadong Hospital warned. "It is better not to do strenuous exercise when the night temperature is high."