China will witness more bad weather next year, the top meteorological official forecast in his annual report yesterday.

Qin Dahe, director of Climate Meteorological Administration (CMA), said that in 2007 the probability of drought in north China and floods in south China were high.

He urged all levels to strengthen the monitoring of rainstorms, droughts, typhoons, gales, hailstorms, variations in temperatures, and acid rain.

"Based on our observations of the global systems on air, oceans, glaciers and vegetation, we drew this conclusion," said Dong Wenjie, director of the National Climate Center with CMA.

This year was the warmest in China's history since 1951. The annual average temperature was 1 degree Celsius higher than previous years, Qin said.

CMA statistics so far show that during the year disasters caused by the weather led to more than 2,704 deaths and economic loss of 212 billion yuan (US$26.5 billion).

A total of seven typhoons and severe tropical storms hit the country this year, resulting in more than 1,200 deaths, 300 missing and direct economic loss of about 70 billion yuan (US$8.8 billion).

In spring, north China was hit by 18 dust and sandstorms, the most on record since 2000, while Sichuan Province in southwest China was plagued by a drought, the first since 1951.

Dong said acid rain in north China was a serious problem this year, requiring more attention.

"Before, the country's acid rain was concentrated in southwest China, like Guizhou Province," Dong said. "But due to more emissions of carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide, north China has become the new target of acid rain."

(China Daily December 29, 2006)