Two distinct cold fronts are sweeping across China between November 15 and 18, driving cumulative temperature drops of 6 to 10 degrees Celsius across most central and eastern regions, according to app.xinhuanet.com.
Local drops will exceed 12 degrees Celsius in areas including western and northern North China, central and southern Inner Mongolia, eastern Northeast China and northeastern Jiangnan, app.xinhuanet.com reported. This sweeping chill will push temperatures down to their lowest levels seen in the latter half of the year, with northern lows centered around November 17 and southern lows arriving around November 18.
The first wave of cold air moves primarily across regions north of the Yangtze River on November 15 and 16, gradually easing the fog and haze plaguing northern and eastern areas, according to app.xinhuanet.com and SOHU.
A stronger second wave then takes over from November 17 to 18, plunging average temperatures across the northern half of the country and parts of the Jianghuai and Jiangnan regions 1 to 3 degrees Celsius below normal averages, SOHU noted.
Zhejiang Online reported that before the plunge, Hangzhou enjoyed mild daytime highs exceeding 20 degrees Celsius on November 13, driven by a pre-frontal warming effect that frequently masks incoming cold snaps. Senior engineer Mao Yanjun of the Zhejiang Climate Center said that atmospheric long-wave activity runs on a three-to-five-day cycle, making weekend timing a frequent occurrence for these southward surges, according to Zhejiang News.
Following the active fronts, the 0-degree Celsius line for maximum temperatures retreats to northern North China, while the 10-degree line reaches the central Huaihe River basin, app.xinhuanet.com stated. Hohhot will see its daytime high drop to 0 degrees Celsius for the first time this late-year period on November 17, while Nanjing and Shanghai will fall to 10 degrees or below on the same date, according to app.xinhuanet.com.
The convergence of cold and warm air masses is generating widespread rain and snow across the central and eastern provinces. Eastern Northwest China, central Inner Mongolia, and parts of North China will experience moderate to heavy snow or sleet, with localized blizzards through November 16, app.xinhuanet.com reported. Southern regions will contend primarily with rain, including heavy downpours across parts of Jiangnan and South China, app.xinhuanet.com added.
SOHU reported that Northeast China faces significant snowfall risks between November 17 and 18, with parts of eastern Jilin and eastern Heilongjiang bracing for blizzards or extreme snowstorms. Accumulations could reach 10 to 35 millimeters, generating new snow depths of 10 to 25 centimeters and localized totals exceeding 30 centimeters, according to SOHU.
Meanwhile, lingering fog and low-visibility conditions are affecting parts of North China, Huanghuai, and the Sichuan Basin, where visibility in some spots drops below 200 meters, SOHU noted. The incoming winds of 4 to 6 magnitude, with gusts reaching 7 to 8 levels in central and eastern sectors, will clear out the stagnant air and improve atmospheric dispersion conditions from north to south, app.xinhuanet.com stated.
