Tourists are now able to check the air quality and visibility at major scenic spots in Shanghai's suburbs before deciding whether to visit.

This follows the launch of a tourism meteorological center in the city last year, issuing complete, accurate and timely weather forecasts including weather, wind and temperature of 17 scenic spots in the suburbs.

The expanded tourism weather service covers 18 tourist attractions and includes air quality, visibility, cloud and sunshine.

It is updated twice daily, in the morning and at night, to cover the following 24 hours. Sightseeing is rated from two to five stars, depending on the weather and environmental conditions.

For forest parks and botanical gardens, information on negative oxygen ion and density of forests is also released.

The list is classified into water towns, amusement, forests, and other sites.

The tourist attractions include Shanghai Chenshan Botanic Garden, Dongping National Forest Park, Fengjing Water Town, Zhujiajiao Water Town, Jinjiang Amusement Park, Shanghai Happy Valley, Shanghai Disney Resort, Jinshan City Beach, Shanghai Wildlife Park, and Langxia Ecological Park.

"The service gives consideration to the influence of weather and environmental factors on tourists' visual experience and physical comfort, providing considerate reference and guide for their tours," said Xu Weiwan, director of Shanghai Tourism Administration.

The expanded Shanghai tourism sightseeing index was released on Monday.

Giving an example, the sightseeing grade of Fengjing Water Town for Monday was four stars, and the air quality was good. Visibility was more than 5 kilometers, and there were few clouds and abundant sunshine.

Shanghai's meteorological conditions are complex, and it is quite common for it to be sunny on the east side while it is raining on the west side, the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau said.

"Shanghai is not big, but the weather conditions vary in different parts," said Xu Jianming, director of the Yangtze River Delta Environmental and Meteorological Forecast and Warning Center.

"In addition, there are different types of scenic spots. For example, in forest parks, high temperature is not a disturbing factor because of the rich greenery and shade, while drizzle may make a tour more comfortable at water towns."

The index provides guidance for tourists to make choices and schedule plans to obtain the best possible tour experience because they can check the information for a 24-hour period, he added. "Abundant sunshine promises a good photo, while air quality is related with health."

The site-specific weather information is available on the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau and Shanghai Tourism Administration's WeChat accounts.