Edward Mills

Rainy summer weather no cause for gloom in Beijing

By Edward Mills (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-01 07:59

Being an Englishman, it's safe to assume I'm no stranger to rain. Rain in the UK is a constant threat to any outdoor plans organized in the summer.

Weather forecasters are regularly embarrassed by painfully inaccurate predictions and while it's true that you don't get soaked quite as much as the national stereotype would suggest, most still carry an umbrella in the car as a sensible precaution.

Beijing's weather is certainly easier to predict, but is undeniably unusual. If asked, most of those born in Beijing will explain that the city has four seasons, though this description hardly matches the situation on the ground. Closer to the mark would be to suggest that it has two dominant seasons of extreme cold in winter and excessive heat in summer: the transition periods between the two (particularly spring) of pleasant temperatures barely have time to register before they are gone.

In the UK, summer is the driest time of the year. Barbecues may be called off due to the occasional wet spell, but otherwise you can reasonably expect precipitation will be markedly less compared with other seasons.

Not so in Beijing, where the months of July and August regularly see the lion's share of the rain for the entire year. Rain in winter is scarce: the months without rain can cause concern among city authorities and weather experts seeded clouds this year to try and alleviate drought concerns.

Summer is a strange beast, with an uneven mixture of searing heat and heavy rainfall. As much as two-thirds of Beijing's annual rain had fallen by the end of August, according to average yearly statistics, which won't surprise many.

Due to the infrequency of rain, there's definitely a significant impact on the ease of life in the capital. Roads and drainage struggle to cope with the sudden influx of water, leading to rapidly building impassable bodies of water on the pavements and streets.

It's almost as if the drainage systems were all designed and put in place during the other months of the year, those in charge forgetting the considerable problems arising in August.

Traffic quickly builds up and available taxis disappear from the roads. Whether it's because drivers are not willing to operate their vehicles during adverse conditions as rumor suggests or if it's due to an increased demand for their service, the fact remains it can be a nightmare to get around if you depend on them for transport.

Providing there's not an important meeting to attend, rain can feel almost like a blissful solace from the sweltering summer heat - a time to break out the umbrella and carry on with business as usual.

With the scarcity of rainfall in Beijing however, many residents forgo umbrellas. It's often the case that the streets will empty swiftly during any slight hint of rain.

Citizens' reactions to the rain tend to focus on it being a nuisance and, although positive for the limited greenery in the area and the soil, most seem happy it's a less than regular occurrence.

The majority of Beijingers certainly aren't singing in the rain, but the rain signifies a welcome change for me from the baking heat of summer and otherwise dry conditions in the city throughout the rest of the year.

(China Daily 09/01/2010)