Entering September, Hangzhou has finally shaken off the muggy, sticky heat of earlier weeks. Multiple weather signals suggest the city is slowly making its way from summer into autumn. Over the coming week, temperatures are expected to hold steady, with daytime highs of 28–29°C and early-morning lows just above 20°C. Some rain is likely to intersperse the period, with precipitation relatively more noticeable on 13–14 September, though intensity will remain light.

As the seasons turn, the signature phenological sights of the summer-to-autumn transition have arrived right on cue. Right now is the best time to admire the goldenrain tree's flowers and fruit: clusters of tiny golden blossoms drape the branches, and when a breeze passes, petals drift down like a romantic “golden rain.” This summer's ample sunshine—with no sustained extreme heat—has been ideal for the development and blooming of the goldenrain tree's flower buds, producing the lush display of blossoms and emerging fruit seen today.

Meanwhile, Xiaoyingzhou Island in the West Lake holds a late-summer, early-autumn surprise of its own. The lotus flowers on the island grow at a slower pace, and are now blooming off-peak, entering their full bloom period, which is expected to last through late September. The island's core lotus-viewing area is the waters around Kaiwang Pavilion, where emerald leaves stretch across the pond and pink blossoms cluster in abundance, thriving beautifully.