After facing unprecedented floods due to severe rainfall in July, China is witnessing another episode of extreme weather in December. Many regions of China that used to experience normal winters are covered under snow this time.
On Monday, China’s south province of Guangdong faced rare snowfall while temperatures in the chilly north dropped to historic lows for the month.
In China’s northern areas, the mercury fell to historic lows below zero in northern areas. The extreme weather resulted in blocked roads, rail, and air transport. Moreover, there was a brake failure in a commuter train in Beijing, the capital.
In early November, weather forecasting agencies predicted a warmer winter in 2023 due to the El Nino effect. However, they have warned that temperatures could fluctuate after one of the warmest Octobers in decades, reported Reuters.
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Generally, Guangdong province of China faces nominal winters with snowfall limited to its northern region. But on Monday, snowfall blanketed the top of a mountain in a city just 80 km (50 miles) north of the provincial capital Guangzhou by the coast.
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Despite predictions of a warmer winter for China, Guangzhou witnessed a temperature of 8 degrees Celsius (46.4 Fahrenheit). During the last winter season, the province’s typical early winter temperatures used to hover in the double digits, while January averages around 14 Celsius (57 Fahrenheit).
Elderly and young warned of ‘cold wave illness’
Amid the severe cold wave, many city officials have issued health advisories for old and young people. Guangzhou officials advised the old and young people to take precautions against “cold wave illnesses”, as winter advances.
In neighboring Guangxi, where President Xi Jinping called last week for an “all-out” emergency response, sleet has been forecast for some cities, including Guilin. Snow flurries were seen in the commercial hub of Shanghai on Monday.
In the capital city, the temperature dropped to minus 15.5 C (4.1 F). The massive drop in mercury was close to the 1952 historic low of minus 15.2 C (4.64 F) on Dec. 19 and minus -17.7 C 0.14 F) on Dec. 20 that year.
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Published: 18 Dec 2023, 08:00 PM IST