Cold snap to sweep Chinese travel rush

BEIJING - A strong cold snap will bring temperature drops in most parts of China over the coming three days, together with strong winds and snow, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast on Sunday amid a travel peak after the Spring Festival holiday.

Affected by the cold front, temperatures will drop by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius from Sunday through Tuesday in some regions of Southwest China, areas south of the Yangtze River and most parts to its north, accompanied by winds of level four to six, the NMC said.

Some areas will see temperatures plunge by 10 to 12 degrees Celsius, according to the observatory.

The NMC also forecast rain and snow in most areas south of the Yellow River and in Northeast China, with 10 to 20 mm of snow in some northern parts of regions along the Yangtze and Huaihe rivers as well as regions south of the Yangtze River.

Meanwhile, moderate snow or sleet is forecast for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, eastern parts of Northwest China, the northeast of Inner Mongolia and some parts of Northeast and North China, while the south of the Tibet Autonomous Region will be hit by blizzards.

Although the week-long Lunar New Year holiday officially ended on Friday, the NMC and the Ministry of Transport (MOT) warned about traffic safety in affected regions as many travelers are still on their way back to work.

Meanwhile, sections of a few national highways across Northeast China and Tibet autonomous region are being affected by heavy snow, the NMC and MOT said in a joint statement.