Shanghai residents brace for snow as Hong Kong hikers chase it
Cold weather alerts issued for central and eastern mainland, with temperatures set to intensify across the country over the weekend
The cold wave that has sent temperatures across northern China plummeting to some of the lowest levels in decades is set to continue through the weekend, with snow predicted in Shanghai for the first time in three years.
Hong Kong, meanwhile, is expected to see the mercury fall to 5 degrees Celsius by early Monday, with minus 1 degrees predicted for Ta Kwu Ling in North District near the border.
Hardy hiking enthusiasts are planning “snow chasing tours” to Tai Mo Shan in the New Territories, which at 957 metres is the highest peak in Hong Kong. Advice on transportation and appropriate gear to pack have been posted on the popular outdoor sports website Fitz.hk.
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The National Meteorological Centre issued yellow cold alerts – the second highest on a four-tier scale – for the central and eastern mainland yesterday morning, with temperatures set to drop to between 14 and 6 degrees in the coming three days.
Inner Mongolia (內蒙古) saw the mercury fall to minus 47.8 degrees on Thursday, just shy of the minus 49.6 degrees record.
Some areas in Anhui (安徽), Zhejiang (浙江), Fujian (福建) and Guangdong would approach record low temperatures, it said.
In recent days, Shanghai residents have watched with envy as cities in surrounding Jiangsu (江蘇) and Zhejiang provinces saw snowfall.
But that should change tomorrow, with the mainland’s financial capital expected to finally receive a dusting – its first since 2013.
Meteorologists said that as a port city, Shanghai was slightly warmed by winds blowing off the sea, and the temperature was further raised by the city’s “heat island effect”. The mercury is expected to fall to as low as minus 8 degrees at the weekend.
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In Inner Mongolia’s Genhe city, fish vendors on the street braving the chill could easily snap a frozen fish in two. In Ergune and surrounding areas, temperatures have fallen to minus 40 degrees.
Farmers in Xilingol League said the cold had affected their greenhouse crops, with tomatoes expected to ripen one month later than usual.
To the south of Hong Kong, Hainan Island, known for its palm trees and white sand beaches, is expected to see temperatures plunge to below 10 degrees.
A cold front blanketed the provincial capital of Haikou in fog. The island’s meteorological authority predicts that the island, except for its southern part, will see temperatures fall below 10 degrees.
In Zhejiang’s Hangzhou city visibility fell to 900 metres. Tourists at the scenic West Lake snapped photos of the white landscape, a rare sight in the city.
Heavy snowfall in Pujiang county in Zhejiang’s north led the local public security authority to close several roads in rural areas. Primary schools told pupils to start their winter holiday five days earlier than scheduled due to safety concerns.
More than 10 counties in Hunan province saw snow or blizzards, with 12.6mm of snow recorded in one area.
In southwest Guizhou, 19 counties were hit by freezing rain.
The airport in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi was closed on Friday morning. Several sections of highways in the province were also closed.
