A special forecast show staged in MeteoWorld Pavilion

Weather presenters from around the world gathered at the World Expo site to present a special forecast show featuring their own languages yesterday.

The Special Presentation by International Weather Presenters was held at Oceania Square in Zone B at 12:30pm, 3:30pm and 6:30pm.

The show was presented by professional weather anchors and gave the audience a chance to see them in real life as opposed to just being on television.

"I've never seen such a weather forecast before," said a visitor surnamed Weng. "Although I don't understand some of the languages, I felt the passion of weather forecasts and it was so different from what I watched on TV."

In the show, weather conditions were forecast in dialects, rap and in talk-show presentations, highlighting the different characters and talents of the weather anchors.

In the first part, anchors from 16 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across China presented a show in their own dialects, forecasting the weather in their hometowns to the delight of visitors from those places.

In the second part of the show, weather anchors from other countries around the world, including Malaysia, Kenya, the UK, Spain and the United States, including those from broadcasters CBS, BBC and CCTV, gave forecasts in their own language and also weather proverbs in Chinese.

During the show, the weather anchors also introduced the MeteoWorld Pavilion in songs and performances.

Yesterday was the Honor Day of the first independent meteorological pavilion in the 159-year history of the World Expo and officials from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) were there to show their support.

"The MeteoWorld Pavilion can be regarded as a piece of lucky cloud falling onto the bank of the Huangpu River, adding a bright color to the Expo site," said Dr Zheng Guoguang, administrator of the CMA, "and more importantly providing timely and effective meteorological services in support of the safe operation of the Expo."

Michel Jarraud, WMO secretary, said: "I hope, through this event, more and more people from young generation will choose meteorology as their future profession."