From January 2 to 4, central and eastern China has been in the grips of the most intensive rainy and snowy weather process upon the inception of this winter. This process is characterized by large-scale, strong intensity and cumulative snow depth, and heavy rain in southeastern China.

Snow or sleet has stricken eastern Northwest China, southwestern North China, central-western Huanghuai Region, Jianghan Region, and Jianghuai Region. Most portions of South of the Yangtze River Region and Southwest China has seen precipitation. Rain and snow coverage in central and eastern China amounts to about 4.2 million square kilometers, ranking as the most wide-ranging rainy and snowy weather process since winter comes along.

Central-northern Shaanxi, southern Shanxi, Henan, central-northern Hubei, central-northern Anhui, and central Jiangsu are subject to heavy snow or blizzard. Heavy blizzard has battered central-southern Henan, northern Hubei, central-Anhui, and central Jiangsu. Super-large blizzard (30 mm) has gripped Xinyang, Zhumadian, and Nanyang in Henan. Cumulative rainfall in these areas reached 10-30 mm, while the figure in southeastern Henan, eastern and northern Hubei, central Anhui, and portions of central Jiangsu added to 40-60 mm. The snow was most intensive during the daytime of January 3 to 4. Monthly rainfall extremes have been broken by daily rainfall in 92 counties and cities in areas like Henan and Shaanxi.

During the morning of January 5, snow depth in eastern Gansu, central Shaanxi, southern Shanxi, Henan, southern Shandong, central-northern Hubei, and central-northern Jiangsu added up to 5-15 cm, with 20-30 cm in southeastern Henan, northern Hubei, central Anhui, and western Jiangsu along Yangtze River. A few stations recorded 38 and 41 cm of snow depth in Anhui and Henan. The entire cumulative snow coverage has approximated 110 square kilometers.

Moderate to heavy rain has emerged in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Chongqing. Cumulative rainfall registered 40-70 mm. This figure was 80-98 mm in Pu’er and Yuxi, Yunan. The rain was most intensive on January 3, when daily rainfall volume in 28 counties and cities in areas like Guizhou have battered the records of local monthly extremes. (Jan. 5)

Colors marked in black and grey refer to snow or sleet

Editor: Liu Shuqiao