BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China just experienced a warm and humid winter with both the rainfall and the average temperature ranking fifth highest since 1961, the National Climate Center said Tuesday.

File photo: CGTN

The average temperature was minus 2.25 degrees Celsius, the fifth highest since 1961, and was 1.09 degrees higher than previous years.

Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces, as well as Shanghai Municipality, experienced the warmest winter in history, according to the center.

The country's precipitation in the winter was also significantly higher than in previous years. Beijing received a record 38 mm of rainfall this winter, 3.4 times more than previous years.

The center forecast that China will continue to see warm and humid weather this spring, advising local authorities to be alert for possible heavy rains and floods and work to minimize their impact on virus control measures as well as industrial and agricultural production.