China’s capital Beijing witnessed the highest number of sub-zero temperature hours in the month of December since 1951. This chilling development comes on the heels of a frigid cold wave that swept across northern and northeastern parts of the country, leading to blizzard conditions and pushing temperatures to remarkable lows.
The northern and northeastern regions have been grappling with an unparalleled cold spell, with some areas plummeting to minus 40 degrees Celsius and even lower. Beijing’s weather observatory reported over 300 consecutive hours of below-freezing temperatures since December 11, the most for the month since records began in 1951, according to the Beijing Daily.
During this period, the capital has endured nine consecutive days of temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius, Beijing Daily further reported.
Shortage of heating supply
In Henan, the central province adjacent to Beijing, several cities including Jiaozuo are confronting a shortage in winter heating supply. JiaoZuo WanFang Aluminum Manufacturing, a major supplier in Jiaozuo, faced boiler malfunctions, prompting a critical need for additional heat supply in some regions, state media highlighted.
Efforts are underway to repair the malfunctioning heating boilers, with the expectation of resuming supplies by December 26. In response to the heating crisis, Jiaozuo will suspend heat supply to non-essential businesses, prioritizing residential usage. Nevertheless, some residential areas will still experience disruptions during maintenance periods.
Henan’s cities, Puyang and Pingdingshan, have taken similar steps by halting heat supply to government entities to ensure residential areas receive priority in light of the harsh weather conditions.
The forecast anticipates temperatures to slowly rise as warm air streams from north to south, providing some relief after the freezing weekend. By Sunday afternoon, China’s weather authority reported a slight rebound in temperatures across central and eastern regions, marking an increase of more than 10 degrees Celsius in some areas.
(With inputs from Reuters)