The temperature in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province, on Wednesday reached 27.2 degrees centigrade, the highest for this time for several decades .

The drizzle for several consecutive days in the city reminds residents of early spring. Ice-creams are welcomed, while sales of winter clothes are poor.

People in most cities throughout China have had a warm winter. Statistics from the Chinese Central Meteorological Station show that since January 1 this year, the temperature in most cities was three to five degrees centigrade higher than that in the previous years.

Shanghai winter temperatures reached 21.6 degrees centigrade on Monday, an 88-year record.

This high temperature was followed by claps of thunder and moderate rain in rural and urban parts of Shanghai Tuesday, a combination rare in the city.

Since the new year, the temperatures of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, have remained above 10 degrees Celsius, with the maximum temperature reaching 16 degrees Celsius, an all-time high.

Even the minimum temperature of 2.2 degrees Celsius below zero this winter is eight degrees higher than the historical lowest temperature record.

This is the warmest winter for three decades, according to experts. Currently, girls in skirts can be seen in the streets of this ancient city.

Farmers from the country worry about the warm weather because if the current high temperature continues, crops will suffer.

( People's Daily January 17, 2002 )