Shanghai is improving its weather forecasting technology to do away with vague forecasts that call for "some rain," or state the city will be "partially cloudy."

The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau has vowed to make more specific and useful forecasts by the end of this year, including information on pollen density in the atmosphere.

Currently, ambiguous weather forecast words are overused by the bureau despite constant complaints, bureau officials said.

"Sometimes, it's really difficult to understand the weather forecast," commented Shen Zhihao, who works for a private trade company.

"I bought several new umbrellas when it rained in disaccord with the forecast."

Shen said the forecasts "should have been improved earlier in a country capable of sending men into space."

Bureau officials said they will divide the city into several areas and soon use specific forecast expressions such as "rain in the city's north" or "fog in the city's northwestern suburbs."

"We have upgraded our weather orbiters and ground radar so that they can work jointly to lift the forecast precision," said Zhou Hongmei, a senior engineer with the bureau.

She said previously the remote sensing capacity of weather orbiters were very limited and couldn't precisely pinpoint the movement of clouds, particularly during monsoon seasons, leading to vague forecasts.

In addition to improving precision, the bureau will also forecast pollen and ozone density.
Officials said information about pollen density in the atmosphere will be helpful to people with allergies or asthma.

(Shanghai Daily February 7, 2006)