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First cold wave of 2025 expected to affect most of China

By Sun Ye

China's Central Meteorological Observatory forecasts that the first cold wave of 2025 will start to affect most parts of the country from Thursday, anticipating widespread snow, rain, strong winds and temperature drops.

According to Xu Jun, chief forecaster at the Central Meteorological Observatory, the cold spell will bring dramatic temperature changes and strong winds.

Xu said that temperatures across most of the country will generally drop by 8-12 degrees Celsius, with some areas in northwestern and northern China experiencing drops of more than 14 degrees Celsius.

Frozen waterfalls in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, east China, January 21, 2025. /VCG
Frozen waterfalls in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, east China, January 21, 2025. /VCG

Frozen waterfalls in Qingdao City, Shandong Province, east China, January 21, 2025. /VCG

These areas will also experience strong winds. Eastern and southern coastal areas will experience strong winds later in the week.

The cold wave coincides with the peak of the Spring Festival travel rush.

Tian Hua, chief expert at the Public Meteorological Service Center of the China Meteorological Administration, warned that on January 24, the eastern part of northwest China will be affected by heavy snow to blizzard conditions, with high risks of snow accumulation and road icing on highways such as Lianhuo, Jingkun, Fuyin and Erguang in Gansu, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan provinces, respectively.

People on a sleigh ride on the Songhua River in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China, January 22, 2025. /VCG
People on a sleigh ride on the Songhua River in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China, January 22, 2025. /VCG

People on a sleigh ride on the Songhua River in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China, January 22, 2025. /VCG

January 25 will see the cold wave's widest impact, with snow or sleet affecting the northwest region, north China, western Huanghuai region and southwest regions, significantly impacting transportation.

Tian said that from January 26 to 27, snow and rain will primarily affect transportation in the northeast and southwest regions.

Heavy snow or blizzards are expected to cause snow accumulation and high risks of road icing on highways such as Daguang, Danxi and Suiman in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang, in the northeast.

(Cover: Yamdrok Yumtso starts to freeze in the Xizang Autonomous Region, southwest China, January 19, 2025. /VCG)

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