Highway Closed, Flights Cancelled as Snowstorm Blankets Northern China

Highway has been closed, flights and train delayed and some cancelled as a result of an early-season snowstorm that blanketed parts of northern China, including Beijing.

(Photo : Getty Images)

Orange Alert Issued as a Result of the Snowstorm

As a cold front passed from west to east, temperatures dropped to freezing and even below. After striking portions of Inner Mongolia and other western provinces the day before, a continuous, blowing snow fell Sunday in Beijing, the adjacent city of Tianjin, and northeastern China.

Due to the snowstorms, National Meteorological Center issued an orange alert which is the second highest level in the country's four-tier warning system. In certain regions, accumulations of more than 30 centimeters (11 inches) were expected.

The city of Beijing was the worst impacted on Sunday morning. According to state media, some highway portions were blocked, bus service on more than 160 routes was halted, and flights at the city's two main airports were restricted.

Tianjin and Shanghai high-speed trains have been canceled or delayed. As the storm headed east, the sky cleared in the Chinese capital in the afternoon.

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Effects of Snowstorm

The snow was a pleasant sight for the Beijing Winter Olympics' skiing areas, taking place in February 2022. Beijing has a dry environment, thus most of the snow for the contests will be artificial.

According to state media, the city also said that snow from areas with COVID-19 instances would not be removed. They didn't specify why, but China has taken extremely strict steps to combat the virus spread, including a zero-tolerance policy.

Flights in Inner Mongolia were postponed Saturday at the airport in Hohhot, the Chinese region's capital, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

In addition, certain expressways in Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing, and Shanxi province, farther west, were briefly closed, according to Xinhua.

(Photo : Getty Images)

China's Snowiest Regions 

In general, snow occurs over most of Northern China, with Harbin, Beijing, and Tianjin all seeing sleet and snow flurries during the winter months. In reality, central areas and cities like Wuhan and Changsha, where humidity is strong and buildings are not as well built for winter weather, it may seem much colder.

• Beijing 

With over 21 million people, China's capital city is the world's most populous, and many will appreciate the thin coating of snow that the city receives between November and March.

• Harbin

Harbin is affectionately referred to as the 'Ice City,' and for good reason. In contrast to the rest of China, the north-eastern hub has lengthy, cold winters and shorter, cooler summers.

Temperatures may plunge to -11.2 degrees Fahrenheit (-24 degrees Fahrenheit) in January, with several inches of snow accumulating on the ground and little possibility of thawing.

• Zhong Guo Xue Xiang the 'Home of Snow' 

Zhong Guo Xue Xiang, also known as Shuangfeng Forest Farm or simply 'Home of Snow,' is China's top snow town. The little community, which is 174 miles (284 kilometers) from Harbin, may see 78 inches (2000mm) of snow build when winds blow it into mounds surrounding the town.

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