China's Guangzhou embraces its earliest summer since 1961

GUANGZHOU, April 1 (Xinhua) -- The meteorological bureau of Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, announced that the city had entered summer on March 23, way ahead of its usual date on April 16, the earliest since 1961.

Numerous other cities in the province including Foshan, Jiangmen, Zhongshan and Dongguan also announced the arrival of summer.

According to China's meteorological industry standard, when there are "five consecutive days above or equal to 22 degrees Celsius, then the first date will be the start of summer."