Trains traveling between Guangdong Province and Hunan Province in southern and central China were suspended from Saturday to Tuesday due to the sudden temperature drop and forecasts of heavy snow and blizzards as the first cold snap of 2024 has arrived the country, according to 12306.com, the national train ticket booking website.
The lowest temperature in most of Hunan Province will drop below 0 degree Celsius from Saturday, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said. From Sunday to Tuesday, the province will experience the first round of gales and intense snowfall this year.
A man cleans the snow with a blowing machine in a public square in northeast China's Jilin Province, January 21, 2024. /CFP
China's national observatory on Saturday renewed a blue alert, the lowest in the country's four-tier warning system.
Affected by the cold wave, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei, Jilin, Liaoning, and many parts of southern China, are expected to see temperatures declining by up to 16 degrees Celsius from Saturday to Tuesday.
Most areas in central and eastern China will also experience strong winds due to the impact of the cold wave, according to the NMC.
Local governments and relevant departments are advised to take precautions against the cold wave, including implementing some protective measures for tropical crops and aquatic products.