China is currently facing its first cold wave of the winter season since the onset of winter. Starting from today (November 25th), temperatures in most areas of China are expected to drop by 6 to 10 degrees Celsius, with locally as low as 16 degrees Celsius – setting a new low since the beginning of autumn. This cold wave has brought heavy snowfall to Inner Mongolia, northeast China, and other regions, with 27 road closures reported in Xinjiang, Qinghai, and other places.
The China Meteorological Administration issued a yellow alert for the cold wave at 10 a.m. on the 25th, predicting temperature drops of 6 to 10 degrees Celsius in most parts of central and eastern China from the 25th to the 28th. Some areas in northern North China, central Inner Mongolia, and northeast China could experience temperature decreases of 12 to 14 degrees Celsius, locally over 16 degrees Celsius.
Around the 28th, the 0-degree Celsius line is forecasted to move southward to northern Jiangsu, Anhui, and southern Henan. Even high-altitude areas like the Dabie Mountains and Huangshan may see temperatures drop below 0 degrees Celsius. This cold wave will gradually set new record lows for temperatures in most parts of eastern China over the past six months.
On the 25th at 6 a.m., the China Meteorological Administration issued the first yellow alert of the year for heavy snowfall. It is expected that in the following days, heavy to blizzard snow will hit northeastern Inner Mongolia, most of northeastern China, and other regions. Some areas like northern Heilongjiang, northeastern Liaoning, and southeastern Jilin could even experience heavy blizzards with snowfall amounts of 20 to 26 millimeters, leading to 5 to 10 centimeters of new snow accumulation, locally exceeding 12 centimeters.
According to the Global Times, as of 8 a.m. on the 24th, 27 road sections were closed in Xinjiang, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Gansu due to snowfall and icy road conditions.
Today marks the 25th day of the tenth month in the lunar calendar. There is a saying that goes, “The roof is white on the 25th of October, and the heavy snow in the Ninth month makes people shiver.” This means that if there is snow on the 25th day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar, it signals the arrival of more snowfall in the following days, bringing freezing temperatures that will leave people shivering.