Powerful cold wave brings record lows and snow to China
A powerful cold wave swept through northeastern China from Monday through Tuesday, November 25 to 26, 2024, bringing Heilongjiang’s heaviest snowstorm of the year. Hegang, a city in the province, received 53 mm (2.1 inches) of snow in just 24 hours, leading to a total accumulation of 37 cm (14.6 inches). Thousands of personnel and machines were mobilized to clear the snow and ensure public safety as temperatures dropped sharply.
Heilongjiang Hegang covered in snow after the heaviest snowstorm of the year. Image credit: Jim Yang
- Northeastern China was hit by a severe cold wave from November 25 to 26, with temperatures plunging to as low as -33.9 °C (-29.0 °F).
- Authorities issued a Yellow alert for the region and mobilized over 35 000 personnel, 5 121 snow-clearing vehicles, and more than 4 600 snow-removal machines to manage the snow and ice accumulation caused by the cold wave.
A Yellow alert was issued for northeastern China as a cold wave swept through the region from Monday to Tuesday, November 26.
Nearly half of the weather stations in the country recorded new low temperatures, with the lowest reaching -33.9 °C (-29.0 °F) in some areas. Huzhong station broke its snow depth record, receiving 46 cm (18.1 inches) of snow during the cold wave.
Heilongjiang’s Hegang experienced its heaviest snowstorm of the year, receiving approximately 53 mm (2.1 inches) of snowfall within 24 hours between Monday and Tuesday, resulting in a total snow accumulation of about 37 cm (15 inches) in the region. Visuals shared online depict several areas buried under snow.
The Chinese Meteorological Agency (CMA) had begun issuing alerts for the cold wave as early as Sunday, November 24. Beijing was placed under a Blue Cold Wave Alert, anticipating a significant temperature drop throughout the week.
Over 35 000 personnel, 5 121 snow-clearing vehicles, and more than 4 600 snow-removal machines were placed on standby to manage snow and ice accumulation.
China employs a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, where red indicates the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.
References:
1 China issues yellow alert for snowstorms, cold wave – Xinhua – November 25, 2024
2 Beijing braces for cold wave, rain, snow – Xinhua – November 24, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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