Yikes: Winter has come to Shanghai 10 days early

If like us at Time Out you've been caught out by the cold snap of late, it appears you're not the only one: winter has come early to Shanghai, having officially arrived on 23 November.

By the China Meteorological Administration standards, winter around here technically arrives when there are five consecutive days with temperatures lower than 10℃. The first of these days becomes the first day of winter.

Since records began in 1981, on average winter arrives in Shanghai on December 3, making this year's winter arrival ten days earlier than usual. This in turn means autumn only lasted 46 days this year, down on the average of 61.3 days.

But for the upcoming week, there's good news. Rainfall should be 'minimal', and the humidity low, with temperatures set to range from 7℃ to 16℃. Pollution is also forecasted to be light throughout the week.

The plus side of winter's arrival? It's now ok to guzzle all the hot chocolate. Click here for our list of the best, and here's our list of 15 ways for you to make the most of winter in Shanghai.