Heavy Rain and Typhoon Kong-ree: Get Ready, Shanghai

Looks like Typhoon Kong-ree's intensity has increased after it's made landfall in Taiwan. Lovely.

• The Heavy Rain Yellow Alert has now been upgraded to an Orange Alert as of 10pm. This means a significant escalation in the expected rainfall. The city is now expecting over 100mm of rainfall in just 6 hours across most areas from tonight through tomorrow morning.

• Flood Alert has also been upgraded from level 3 to level 2.

• Typhoon Blue Alert hasn't changed as of this writing. It'll be windy but likely not surpass gale-force winds at this point.

The upgrade to an Orange Alert signifies that more severe impacts are expected, especially in terms of urban flooding and traffic disruption.

We're gonna get soaked. It won't be a light drizzle. For those of you who like rainy days, celebrate. Break out the candles, and incense, brew your favorite teas, and break out a bit of Bailey's, time to get cozy.

Starting tonight, the rain's turning into a full-on torrential downpour, and it's set to keep going until TOMORROW NIGHT. We're looking at 120-180mm of accumulated rainfall, and some spots like Jiading and Baoshan could get as much as 200-260mm. The peak of it all? Between 2am and 8pm tomorrow (that's 16 hours of downpours) – expect sheets of rain that'll have you reconsidering that evening walk.

Winds Are Picking Up Too

Alongside all that water, we've got winds coming in strong. Gusts are expected to reach 8-9 on land, especially around those tall buildings and along the waterfront. If you're out by Yangshan Port, brace for even stronger gusts – up to 10-11. It's a double whammy – wind and rain, so make sure those balcony plants are tucked away, and grab anything that's not nailed down.

Education:

The Education is analyzing the situation and will cancel classes if the Typhoon continues to escalate. Some schools may pre-emptively make this move considering flooding in the area. A few universities have already opted to cancel in-person classes, including:

• Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
• Shanghai Normal University
• Fengxian campus of East China University of Science and Technology

Transportation:

Rail:

Shanghai Railway Station announced that, due to the impact of Typhoon Kong-ree, the 21st typhoon of the year, and to ensure the safety of railway transport and travelers, the railway department plans to temporarily suspend certain passenger trains passing through the Hangzhou-Shenzhen High-Speed Rail, Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Rail, and Hangzhou-Taiwan High-Speed Rail lines from October 31 to November 1.

Roads

Speed limit of 40 km/h on all highways, urban expressways, and cross-river (sea) bridges, such as Donghai Bridge and Yangtze River Bridge.

Metro

According to Shanghai Metro Group, there are currently no plans to suspend subway operations.

Cold Front on the Horizon

Once Kong-ree clears out, don't get too comfy. A cold front is moving in next week, dropping temperatures to 12°C in urban areas and even lower – below 10°C – in the suburbs. It's officially sweater weather, so dig out those layers.

Stay Safe, Stay Smart

Stay Indoors if you can help it. Tonight's weather is looking like the type to turn even a short errand into an adventure.

Watch for flooded roads if you're driving. Take it slow, avoid the underpasses, and if you see a waterlogged street – find another route. It's not worth risking a flooded engine or worse.

Button Down the Hatches. Got anything loose on your balcony or patio? Bring it in. With wind gusts pushing 9-10 levels, you don't want to see your flower pots airborne.

Cold Weekend, But Calmer

After all this drama, Saturday (November 2) will see some lingering showers, but overall, things will start to settle. Temperatures over the weekend will hover between 16-23°C, and Sunday's shaping up to be mostly cloudy. Early next week, get ready for another temperature dip as the cold front moves through, with lows around 12°C in the city and chillier in the outskirts.

Stay tuned for further updates, Shanghai, and keep an eye on those alerts. Tonight's gonna be a wet one!

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