The National Meteorological Center on Monday said that the skies might clear in the capital on July 2, which would end an unbroken spell of wet weather that began on June 22.

The rainfall so far this year in the Olympic host city has been the heaviest in 10 years, the municipal meteorological bureau said last Friday. Precipitation totals in the Chinese capital have been 70 percent more than average levels.

Before the long rainy spell, there were also isolated days of heavy downpours. For example, severe storms hit Beijing on the afternoon of June 13 and caused floods and traffic jams in many areas.

The continuous rain has increased pressure on the city's transport systems, but it has also eased drought conditions and helped to reduce air pollution.

However, the blue skies might be short-lived. Experts said that the city would get more torrential rain from late July through early August, which is the city's wettest season.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2008)