‘Monster’ cold wave ‘invades’ China

 

 

A record strong cold wave has continued to batter China since Wednesday during what is known as the Great Cold, the final period of the Chinese solar calendar. The beginning of the Great Cold also signals the beginning of the coldest days of winter.

According to weather authorities, many areas in northern and eastern China are facing constant temperature drops of up to 14 degrees Celsius. Regions near the Yangtze River could see record low temperatures.

The National Meteorological Center has issued an orange alert, the second-highest level, for the severe cold wave coming during Jan. 23 to 25. Temperatures in many cities are expected to drop below the recorded extreme value. In Beijing, the temperature plunged to -17℃ on Saturday morning close to the 30-year record low, while in northeastern China the lowest temperature reached -40℃, according to the center.

Together with the powerful cold wave, strong winds up to level 6 (10.8 - 13.9m per second) are expected to blow through parts of northern and southern China, which will further lower the temperature.

Central and eastern China have been struck by snow storms. Since the warning of blizzards was issued, schools in Hefei, Anhui Province, Changsha, Hunan Province, and Changzhou, Jiangsu Province have been required to start their winter vacation a few days early. Highways in at least 12 provincial regions have been closed since this Friday.

As the Spring Festival transportation begins tomorrow, local transportation authorities have been required to take action to handle possible emergencies and to be on alert for severe weather, according to the Ministry of Transportation.

As to the low temperatures across the country, Wang Ji, deputy director of Beijing Weather Center, said that the country is affected by a bout of cold from the northern Atlantic and the Ural mountains in Russia, which has caused snowstorms in Europe and is moving eastward to affect China.



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