China’s capital, Beijing, has recorded a record number of hours with temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius during December since 1951.
“Since the temperature first dropped below 0 degrees Celsius on December 11, the temperature has remained below 0 degrees Celsius for more than 300 hours,” reported Beijing Daily regarding the weather situation in Beijing. By the afternoon of December 24, the temperature recorded at Beijing’s Nanjiao weather observation station had risen above 0 degrees Celsius.
A panda resting on a tree at the zoo after snowfall in Beijing. (Photo: CNN)
Since temperature records began in 1951, this is the longest period that Beijing has experienced temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the Chinese capital has also endured 9 consecutive days with temperatures below -10 degrees Celsius during this time.
The prolonged low temperatures over many days have caused heating systems in several provinces and cities of Beijing to face a crisis. In the cities of Yicheng and Puyang in Henan Province, heating energy for government and administrative agencies was temporarily halted to prioritize use for residents, citing “extremely cold” weather conditions.
In the city of Xiaozhai, thermal power suppliers are under pressure to ensure supply as heating systems were partially suspended following an incident at the Wanfu power plant on December 22. However, this issue has now been resolved.
In addition to heating systems, the freezing weather in Beijing has also caused many problems for the city’s subway system. The Beijing transport authority reported that hundreds of passengers were injured in a collision between two trains due to frozen tracks last month, with several passengers sustaining broken bones.
The severe temperatures have also hindered rescue efforts following a deadly earthquake this month in Gansu Province in the northwest.
The National Meteorological Administration of China stated that after this prolonged cold spell, almost all regions across the country will experience a short-term increase in temperatures. It is expected that from December 25 onwards, temperatures in the northern region will shift from the previous lows to normal or higher than the seasonal averages.
However, from December 26 to 27, a new cold air mass is expected to impact Central and Eastern China once again, bringing strong winds and low temperatures.
Temperatures will drop by 4°C to 8°C in most areas, with some regions experiencing drops of more than 10°C. The average temperature in most areas of Central and Eastern China will be 1°C to 3°C lower than the seasonal averages by the end of December.
