China's top meteorological body has issued its summer forecast, and the outlook is not good: The country should brace itself for higher temperatures and more typhoons than in 2005.

According to a report released yesterday by the National Climate Centre (NCC) under the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), about eight or nine typhoons are expected to hit coastal regions starting from the end of June, while midsummer temperatures will be on average 1 C higher than last year.

About 30 tropical storms or typhoons will be formed in the Northwest Pacific Ocean or South China Sea this year, compared with 23 in 2005, prompting the NCC to warn local governments to take due precautions.

"Local governments in coastal areas should be well prepared for the typhoons as they could combine with rainstorms to cause huge damage," the centre warned.

"From now on, local authorities should get ready for bad weather, particularly floods resulting from torrential rains, and persistent drought in other areas," said CMA's Director Qin Dahe.

"With the weather shifting between high temperatures and heavy rainfalls, China may experience more droughts than floods," Qin said.

In the hottest days of the summer, electricity consumption may go up by 10 per cent south of the Yangtze River, while it is predicted to increase by 5 per cent in the north.

In another development, meteorologists warned that the rains inundating southern China are expected to continue, with more than 50 millimeters predicted in the next 24 hours.

"In the next two days, damage is likely to be caused by the season's increasing air convection, so expect bad weather such as lightning, thunder, hailstorms and gales," said Qiao Lin, a senior CMA forecaster.

(Xinhua News Agency May 10, 2006)