Beijing: The first snowfall of the Year of the Dragon blanketed vast areas of northern China, including Beijing, in white, causing some disruption that was quickly dealt with.
Between 5 pm on Tuesday and 6 am on Wednesday, the average precipitation across Beijing touched 5.5 millimeters, with the highest recorded precipitation occurring at the Qingta Station in Fengtai district, according to the Beijing Meteorological Department.
“The atmospheric moisture in Beijing increased rapidly on Tuesday evening, intensifying into significant snowfall. Heavy snowfall in the city center and southern areas led to substantial snow accumulation,” said Zhang Linna, chief forecaster at the Beijing Meteorological Observatory. It stopped snowing early on Wednesday morning.
The unexpected snowfall, while creating a pretty picture, affected normal operations in the city for some time. However, the meteorological, transportation and heating departments worked swiftly to restore normal services. According to national railway operator China State Railway Group’s Beijing bureau, trains running from Beijing to Guangzhou and Shanghai, as well as on sections linking Shijiazhuang to Jinan and Taiyuan, were delayed due to the snowfall.
Nearly 100 flights were canceled at Beijing Capital International Airport on Wednesday due to the overnight snowfall, the airport authorities said. The airport planned to operate 1,216 flights on Wednesday, while 97 flights were canceled.
As of 6 am Wednesday, 45,000 personnel had been deployed for snow-cleaning operations and 6,000 snow-clearing and ice-removal vehicles had been mobilized, ensuring smooth traffic flow during rush hours. –The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
