Beijing braved coldest week in 14 years

A girl learns skiing in Beijing, Dec 9, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

Beijing residents experienced the coldest week in 14 years last week with temperatures falling below zero for four continuous days before Sunday, the local weather forecaster said.

Data from the Beijing Meteorological Bureau showed that from Dec 3 to Dec 8, the average daily temperature was 3 Celsius below zero, more than 3 degrees lower than the average level in the past two decades, and hitting a record low since 1998.

Days are becoming warmer, but mild snow is expected to hit Beijing on Thursday, dragging temperatures lower, the bureau said.

Although colder temperatures were felt in the capital in early December, it is still too early to say if this winter will be abnormally cold, said Zhang Mingying at the Beijing Meteorological Bureau.