The temperature in Beijing dropped to minus 19.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning, coldest since 1966 when the mercury plunged to minus 19.3 degrees Celsius on February 24, according to data from an observatory in Beijing's southern suburb.

The Chinese capital is experiencing a teeth-chattering cold wave that started early Wednesday. The city remains on yellow alert for continuous low temperatures and gale blue alert.

Beijing has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system for low temperatures and gales, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

Almost all parts of China are enduring harsh weather conditions. Most parts of northern and southern China are experiencing bone-chilling temperatures, plummeting by up to 10 degrees Celsius.

A hashtag #FirstWarningMapWhereChineseAreFreezingToCryIn2021 on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo has garnered nearly 41.3 million views so far.

A Weibo post by Chinanews.com, with a map showing how people in different parts of China react to frigid weathers, has gravitated 60,842 likes and 5,479 comments within 24 hours of its publishing.

The map, created by weather.com.cn, made its debut in January 2019. 

Netizens shared their frozen-to-the-marrow reactions to the stone-cold weather. Some confessed that the below-freezing temperatures make them cry, while those living in southern China delighted in their sunshine outlook - far from frozen into a sob. Some shared their ordeal of wearing too many layers of clothes and then sweating all day. 

Meteorological experts explain that this could be attributed to strong icy winds - the heavier the winds, the more heat the body losses, and the people will feel colder.

The ongoing low temperatures are expected to continue in the coming days and people are advised to follow precautions against the cold weather and blustery winds.