Piercing cold to bring record lows to N. China

Front sweeping across northern regions prompts severe weather warnings

The strongest cold wave this winter so far is sweeping across large parts of China, with northern regions expected to experience record-breaking low temperatures.

Jinan is forecast to have a minimum temperature of-15 C on Saturday, and Tianjin is forecasting a low of — 14 C on Sunday, both of which will break local mid-December low temperature records.

In areas heavily hit by snow, trains, expressways and schools were suspended on Thursday.

In some northern regions, temperatures are expected to drop by over 20 C, as the cold wave takes hold until Saturday. The majority of northern regions will continue to experience colder-than-average conditions until the end of December, the National Meteorological Center said.

On Thursday, four weather warnings were issued.

The China Meteorological Administration issued its highest-level orange warning for a cold wave on Thursday, the first such warning this winter. A blue warning, the lowest, was issued for strong wind.

People are advised to bundle up in warmer clothing and prepare to face the cold.

Parts of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Shaanxi, Jilin and Liaoning provinces are likely to experience a temperature drop of more than 20 C.

The administration issued a yellow warning for heavy snow nationwide. From Thursday morning to Friday morning, most parts of Shaanxi, Hubei and Henan provinces are expected to experience blizzards.

A rare yellow warning for freezing rain was also issued. The last such warning was seen a decade ago.

Due to heavy snowfall, several train services in Beijing were suspended on Thursday. Passengers holding tickets for the affected trains can process full refunds within 30 days. Travelers are advised to stay updated on station announcements on the 12306 website.

In the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, icy roads prompted temporary road closures by the highway police on certain expressways.

Meanwhile, the Henan provincial government has raised its emergency response to Level 2 for major weather disasters, including blizzards and cold waves.

On Thursday, a red warning for a cold wave, the highest level, was issued for regions including Datong, Shuozhou and Changzhi in Shanxi province.

In response to the ongoing freeze, agricultural experts in Hebei province guided farmers on how to protect their greenhouse crops and ensure a stable supply of vegetables, China Central Television reported on Thursday.

Due to the severe weather conditions, schools in Hebei province suspended on-campus learning. On Wednesday, the Hebei education department issued a notice instructing schools to adjust their teaching plans and schedules, and if necessary, suspend classes.