A powerful cold front that hit China on Saturday has brought dramatic temperature drops and extensive snow to the northern and eastern parts of the country, prompting local authorities to implement measures to ensure transport safety and residents' daily life.
Temperatures have plunged to around minus 35 degrees Celsius in northern parts of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China. Key road sections have been covered with snow and ice following the severe temperature drop, creating hazardous driving conditions.
The Daban section of the National Highway 577, located in Xinjiang's Tekes County, sits at an altitude of 2,800 meters and is considered the most challenging part of the highway due to its steep slopes and multiple sharp turns. Over the past two days, temperatures here have fallen to minus 15 degrees Celsius, with snow piling up to nearly 10 centimeters deep.
Local traffic police have set up checkpoints along the route to monitor vehicles for safe driving. They have also organized large trucks into convoys, with police cars leading them through at reduced speeds.
"Because of the heavy snowfall today, the officers informed us of installing snow chains and then guided us together over the Daban section," said Zhan Chuanjiang, a truck driver.
Currently, livestock farmers in Altay Prefecture are entering a crucial lambing season, busy delivering and caring for lambs born in the past weeks and preparing for new one to come in the following month. Local authorities have dispatched technicians to assist in this work. Farms have also installed heating stoves and warm air blowers in pens and have arranged special feed supplies to ensure the smooth breeding and rearing of the baby lambs.
"The feed mainly consists of alfalfa, cornflakes, and some silage corn, all of which are relatively high in protein," said Hadeer, an official in Altay City.
In recent days, temperatures in multiple areas of northeast China's Liaoning Province have fallen below minus 20 degrees Celsius. Latest satellite remote sensing data showed that the acreage of sea ice in Liaodong Bay in northeast China's Bohai Sea has risen to 6,889 square kilometers, over 22 percent of the Liaodong Bay area.
Parts of north China's Shanxi Province have also seen a sharp drop in temperatures. In cities including Datong and Shuozhou, temperatures have plunged by more than 10 degrees Celsius, with outdoor lows in some high-altitude areas dropping to minus 25 degrees Celsius.
On Sunday, the local meteorological observatory issued a yellow alert -- the third level of its four-tier warning system.
Snowfall was also seen in many parts of east China's Shandong Province, with multiple road sections temporarily affected. Traffic police and road maintenance departments have been conducting continuous de-icing and snow-clearing work to ensure road safety.
"We have organized multiple rounds of snow-clearing operations and implemented emergency measures around key locations including bus stops, schools, and hospitals. Currently, traffic is smooth on all major roads in our district," said Zhu Xidong, director of the environment management department in the comprehensive administrative law enforcement bureau of Zhifu District in the city of Yantai.
Cold wave brings heavy snow, widespread ice across China
