Recent days, China has been hit by cold waves, snowstorms, and heavy fog in multiple regions. Eight provinces will experience heavy to blizzard snowfall, with temperatures dropping to new lows after the onset of winter. Many areas have issued notices implementing traffic controls on highways, with several highways closed and some train services suspended.
According to the China Meteorological Administration, there are yellow alerts for cold waves, heavy fog, and blizzards. From January 23 to 27, the first cold wave of the year will bring widespread rain and snow, leading to record low temperatures in many areas after the winter’s onset. The most intense snowfall is also expected during this period.
From 8 p.m. on the 24th to the 27th, temperatures in most regions will drop by 8℃ to 12℃, with temperature decreases exceeding 14℃ in eastern parts of northwest China, western parts of North China, and the Sichuan Basin, accompanied by gusts of 7 to 10 on the Beaufort scale.
On the 26th and 27th, there will be strong winds of force 7 to 8 in the eastern and southern seas of China, with gusts of force 9 to 11. By the morning of the 28th, the 0℃ isotherm will extend southward to the northern part of Yunnan to the southern part of Jiangnan.
On the 24th and 25th, the core area with the widest rainfall and the strongest intensity will be in the eastern part of Gansu, the southern part of Ningxia, the central and southern parts of Shaanxi, the southern part of Shanxi, and the western part of Henan.
In some areas, such as the southern parts of Gansu, Ningxia, the central and southern parts of Shaanxi, and the western part of Henan, there will be heavy snow, with snow accumulation of 2 to 5 centimeters in some areas and exceeding 10 centimeters locally.
On the 26th, the rain and snow will progress eastward and southward, with snowfall gradually ending in northwest China, North China, and the regions along the Yellow River and Huai River. Snowfall will intensify in northeastern China, with some areas experiencing heavy to blizzard snowfall.
According to China Weather Net on the 24th, during this snowfall process, the intensity of snowfall in some areas in the eastern part of Gansu, the southern part of Ningxia, and parts of Shaanxi may break the January snowfall record.
The Xinjiang Meteorological Administration announced that from the 23rd to the 25th, northern and eastern Xinjiang will experience snowfall, cooling, and strong winds, with northwest winds of around force 6 in most of northern Xinjiang and eastern parts of southern Xinjiang, reaching force 9 to 10 in wind-prone areas, with gusts of force 11 to 12.
Due to the impact of blizzards, several highways in Henan have been closed to traffic, temporary traffic controls have been implemented on some highways in Shaanxi, and multiple highways in Shanxi have been closed or managed. Some train services in Xinjiang have been suspended.
The railway department in Xinjiang announced the suspension of all trains from Urumqi to Korla, Kashgar, Hotan, and Tacheng starting from the 23rd, with the resumption of services to be determined later.
On some highways in Henan, seven-seat (including seven-seat) and above passenger vehicles, as well as vehicles transporting dangerous goods, are prohibited from entering. Temporary traffic controls are being enforced on some highways in Tongchuan, Shaanxi. For certain sections of highways in Shanxi, the passage of vehicles with seven or more seats, trucks, and vehicles transporting hazardous materials is prohibited, with the lifting of restrictions to be determined later.
According to the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China, as of 9 a.m. on the 24th, 79 road sections in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Henan, Ningxia, Gansu, Heilongjiang, and Sichuan have been affected by snowfall and icy road conditions. Twenty-five main routes are closed, including 17 expressways and 76 toll stations. A total of 328 toll stations have been individually closed, with the time for resumption of traffic to be announced later.