Heavy rain to sweep country

The heaviest rain for the year is set to sweep across the country from Tuesday to Saturday, dousing central and eastern areas, the National Meteorological Center said.

Starting Tuesday, rainfall has spread from the eastern part of the Sichuan Basin and Hubei province to other places. It is then expected to make its way through central and eastern China in the following two days, the center said.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Henan, Hubei and Anhui provinces will experience their heaviest rain for the year.

The rain coincides with the end of the May Day holiday, and slippery roads and water accumulation on expressways could pose hidden dangers and worsen traffic. Flights in Henan, Hubei and Shandong provinces will be affected, according to a China Central Television's report on Wednesday.

The National Meteorological Center said that the cumulative rainfall in eastern Hubei, eastern Henan and eastern Shanxi may come close to or break the record for the period historically.

Chen Tao, chief forecaster of the NMC, said it is difficult to forecast strong convective weather that comes and goes quickly, adding meteorological departments will adjust their forecasts at any time according to changes in the weather system.

In May, warm and humid air flowed north and brought a wide range of precipitation from west to east. After the rain, cold air will affect the nation from the east to the south, according to the CMA.