China: Sub-zero Beijing breaks December cold weather record

Here in the U.S., December was milder than normal, and although the middle of the country had blizzard conditions over the Christmas holiday, we haven't experienced a lengthy severe cold snap like China has. A Beijing weather station recorded more hours of sub-zero temperatures than in any year since records began in 1951. That included nine consecutive days with lows below -10 degrees Celsius (14 Fahrenheit).Here's the story about the Arctic cold snap China dealt with for most of the month of December, 2023:

(Image: China under the deep freeze on Dec. 23, 2023 from NOAA/NASA's Suomi NPP Satellite. Credit: NOAA/NASA/Worldview)

China: Sub-zero Beijing breaks December cold weather record 

Dec 26, 2023 DW com

China's capital has broken its record for the number of hours with temperatures below freezing point in December, after a cold wave hit much of the country with blizzards and prolonged low temperatures.

Northern and northeastern China experienced particularly cold temperatures over the last roughly two weeks, caused by biting cold air blowing south from the Arctic, with some areas hitting lows of negative 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 Fahrenheit).

As of Dec. 24, a Beijing weather observatory had recorded more than 300 hours of sub-zero temperatures since December 11, the most for the month since records began in 1951, according to the state-backed Beijing Daily newspaper.

That included nine consecutive days in the capital — with its more than 20 million residents — with lows below minus 10 degrees Celsius, the paper said.

China's National Meteorological Center has recorded record-low December temperatures at some 78 weather stations across the country, also saying average temperatures in northern and some central parts of the country were the coldest seen since 1961.

A Cold Earthquake Aftermath

The freezing temperatures also provided additional hardships for survivors of last week's earthquake, albeit far to the west in Gansu and Qinghai provinces. The death toll from the magnitude 6.2 quake had risen to 149, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday. Tens of thousands were left in need of temporary housing units in freezing temperatures after their own homes sustained damage.

Finally Warming Up

Temperatures rebounded in some parts of the country by more than 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday. Dec. 24, according to China's weather authority.

In Beijing's case on Monday, December 25, high temperatures of 3 degrees Celsius (roughly 37 Fahrenheit) were expected during the day, albeit with lows of minus 7 Celsius overnight. Current forecasts for the week ahead put the daytime high temperatures in the capital consistently somewhat higher than freezing point but with similar sub-zero overnight lows.

Record Temperatures for the Region

The freezing temperatures are the latest in a series of extreme weather events for the region. Record temperatures were set in Beijing for 27 consecutive days this summer, while the northeast saw its heaviest rainfall in 140 years.