Grain in Ear is sign of “plum rains” season. In meteorology, if this season is without continuous rainfall, it is called “empty plum rains.”

Generally speaking, in late Grain in Ear period, continuous cloudy and rainy weather often occurs in the Yangtze River basins. This is the so-called “plum rains” season. According to statistics about the first day of plum rains, Wuhan City begins on 16th June, Anhui Province on 15th June, Nanjing City and Shanghai City on June 17th . In most areas of Hunan Province, Jiangxi Province and Zhejiang Province, plum rains begin a few days earlier than that in the Yangtze River basins. In meteorology, if this season is without continuous rainfall, it is called “empty plum rains.” After plum rains season, it is a period called “summer drought” in the Yangtze River basins. If empty plum rains happen, the summer drought will be severe.

Throughout Grain in Ear, storms are common in southern China, although it is almost near the end of the flood period. Normally, Hunan Province, Jiangxi Province and Zhejiang Province enter the rainy season first. Storms and other natural disasters such as mountain torrents and mud-rock flows caused by floods may happen easily. For farm land and cities with poor drainage systems, preventions and solutions should be made.

In 1954, 1991 and 1998, catastrophic floods caused by continuous storms happened during plum rains season. According to the statistics of floods and droughts, 4150 people died and RMB 255 billion was lost in the 1998 flood. In addition, southwestern China has been going through the rainy season since June anyway. Hails happen a lot in the plateau section in this area.

Most regions in China apart from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau area and the northernmost part of Hei Longjiang Province enter a hot summer during Grain in Ear. Nenjiang, in Hei Longjiang Provice experienced its hottest day since 1971 in the year 2000, when temperatures reached 37.1℃ in Grain in Ear.

In June, both northern and southern China may experience their highest temperatures (above 35℃) of the year. The temperatures in the region of Yellow River and Huai River may be above 40℃.

In southern China, especially in Fujian Province, Hainan Province and Guangdong Province, the average temperature in June is about 28℃. If it is extremely hot and suffocating before thunderstorms, a high-temperature alarm should be made. People should prepare against sunstroke, air-condition diseases and acute gastroenteritis.