BEIJING: China is bracing itself for its most intense cold spell from Thursday (Jan 23) to Monday (Jan 27), with temperatures expected to plummet by as much as 20 deg C in some areas.
The cold wave will move from west to east, starting in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region on Jan 23 before sweeping through north-western regions on Jan 24.
It is expected to hit central and eastern areas over the weekend and reach north-eastern and southern parts of the country by Jan 27.
Temperatures in most areas will drop by 8 deg C to 12 deg C, with some regions, including Hohhot in Inner Mongolia, seeing decreases of up to 20 deg C.
From Jan 25 to Jan 28, temperatures in north-west and north China will hit new winter lows. The eastern part of north-west China and the central-western part of north China are expected to be the hardest hit, with some areas seeing drops exceeding 14 deg C.
Snowfall on Jan 23 will mainly affect northern Xinjiang, while snow is forecast for the eastern parts of north-west China and north China from Jan 24 to Jan 25. Snow will continue in north-east China on Jan 26 and Jan 27.
The cold wave and rain-snow conditions will coincide with the travel rush during Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, potentially affecting transportation.
The meteorological administration urged drivers to reduce speeds and increase following distances when driving in wet and snowy conditions.
Extreme temperature swings
A senior forecaster has said winter will be increasingly characterised by extreme temperature swings, including sudden cold spells.
“This winter has felt relatively mild so far, but it remains uncertain whether it will officially qualify as a warm winter,” said Lin Nan, a meteorological analyst at the China Meteorological Administration.
Temperatures in 22 provinces, towns and autonomous regions, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei province and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, were all above normal.
Eastern Xinjiang, eastern Inner Mongolia, central and eastern Hunan, and southern Hubei saw temperatures more than 2 deg C higher than usual, with some areas exceeding 4 deg C above average.
Lin attributed the milder temperatures to weaker cold air masses. As these air masses moved south-east, they warmed gradually under sunlight, resulting in shorter and less intense cold spells in central and eastern regions.
The lack of strong winds and precipitation also reduced wind chill and damp cold effects, making temperatures feel closer to actual readings, Lin said.
Despite the mild start to winter, Lin said periods of cold weather remain likely. Whether this winter will be classified as warm depends on the average temperature from December to February being 0.5 deg C higher than normal.
“Even in a warm winter, there can be sharp temperature drops and cold spells,” Lin said, challenging the perception that warm winters mean consistently mild weather. - China Daily/ANN
