Getting out of bed in the mornings just got a little bit harder as Shanghai is set to play host to freezing temperatures and, dare we say, maybe even snow this week.
Temperatures are predicted to fall to -2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and Wednesday, after which there will be some brief respite before plummeting to a predicted -8 on Sunday. Minus eight!
The culprit? A cold front swooping down from northern China, meaning temperatures should be staying below 5 degrees Celsius all this week. Eek. It's all a bit unexpected after talk that winter was going to forget to come to Shanghai this year thanks to our favourite Pacific-based oscilation of warm ocean waters, El Niño. It seems winter has merely arrived fashionably late.
Don't go getting the toboggans down from the loft just yet, as not all forecasters are predicting that snow is a certainty (the rain, on the other hand, is strongly predicted be joining us on Thursday and Friday). But it may be time to purchase that electric blanket you've had your eye on, try one of Shanghai's fabulous warming treatments or do one of the other 14 things we recommend to help you keep warm this winter. And if comfort food is what you're after, look not further than our rundown of the best warming winter dishes the city has to offer (click read more for links to both articles).
Happy hibernation!