The Chinese capital Beijing just recorded a record for temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius in December. The cause was a cold wave that swept across many areas, causing snowstorms and pushing temperatures down to unbelievable levels. . The old record temperature was set in 1951.
China’s northern and northeastern regions have experienced record cold since last week, with some northeastern areas reaching temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius, as bitterly cold air swept in from the Arctic.
According to the weather observatory in Beijing, as of December 24, there have been more than 300 hours of below-freezing temperatures since December 11. The Beijing Daily reported that this was the highest level in a month since records began being recorded in 1951. The Chinese capital also faced 9 consecutive days of temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius during the period. this paragraph.
Beijing “suffered” the deepest cold spell in more than 70 years
A Chinese person walks in the snow. Photo: China Daily.
The severe weather situation caused by the cold wave became even more serious when some cities in central China’s Henan province, southwest of Beijing, faced a heating supply crisis during the winter. Even JiaoZuo WanFang Manufacturing Factory, an important local supplier, reported a failure in its heating boiler system, increasing pressure on emergency heat supplies.
State media said the supplier is working to fix the problem and is expected to resume supply on December 26, although it did not specify the number of broken boilers.
Due to the emergency situation, the city decided to temporarily suspend heat supply to most businesses, prioritizing only essential services such as hospitals and nursing homes. However, some residential areas may still be affected during equipment maintenance periods.
According to forecasts from China’s weather agency, there is a wave of warm air that will move from the north to the south, increasing temperatures from the weekend. By December 25, temperatures in many areas in central and eastern China had increased somewhat, with an increase of more than 10 degrees Celsius in some areas.