Houston Community News >> Beijing to Keep Skies Clear on Games Opening Day
4/26/2007 BEIJING -- In
Chinese culture, it is often
considered a blessing when it rains - but not on August 8 next year.
Beijing Olympics organizers were dealt some bad news yesterday, when
meteorological experts predicted rain at the opening ceremony at the National
Stadium, the Bird's Nest.
Beijing's top meteorological experts calculated the prediction using rainfall
data from the past 30 years, and said there will be a 50 percent chance of
rainfall. But it's unlikely to be a downpour.
"Even if it rains, it is more likely to be a drizzle," Wang Yubin, deputy chief
engineer with the Beijing Meteorological Bureau, said.
Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan said earlier that his "biggest headache" was the
possibility of rain on the day of the Games' opening ceremony.
But to his relief, Beijing's top weathermen have pledged to use "advanced
techniques" to keep the skies clear that day.
"We will use catalytic agents to force the rain clouds over the National Stadium
to fall down prior to the opening ceremony," Zhang Qiang, who is in charge of
Beijing's artificial rainmaking projects, said.
Wang Yubin said China was very experienced in cloud seeding. "We are pretty
confident that we can effectively reduce rainfall in a small area."
Wang Jianjie, deputy head of the Beijing Meteorological Bureau, also pledged to
improve their weather forecasting skills this year for the "Good Luck Beijing"
Olympic test events. They will rehearse the whole package of services this
August.
"We will try our best to provide accurate forecasts for each Olympic venue
either in Beijing or in other co-host cities," she said.
Hundreds of experienced weathermen will be "loaned" to the Beijing
Meteorological Bureau to cope with the Olympics, she said.
Despite measures to keep the rain at bay, Beijing still has to keep its fingers
crossed - as Wang Yubin said: "God bless Beijing".
(Contributed by Xinhua)