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The average temperature in the most regions of China last year remained generally normal, close to the levels of past years or a lit bit higher than the previous year, a top meteorologist was quoted as saying on Monday by Tuesday's edition of the China Daily.
"In general, the pattern did not change. It is just that last year witnessed a spate of more extreme weather," said Zhu Changhan, chief weather expert of China National Climate Center.
Such extreme weather and ensuing natural disasters have major implications for environmental protection, food security and water supplies, said Zhu, adding that those problems also impact people' s daily life and work.
"El Nino can be blamed for the average high temperatures last year, but it was not enough to provide an explanation for extreme weather changes occurring over a short period of time and in a limited area," said Zhu.
But Cai Yi, a researcher at the National Research Center for Marine Environment Forecasts in Beijing, said northern China will probably experience high temperatures and drought this summer, while southern China is likely to be affected by flooding.
(eastday.com January 21, 2003)
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