Ürümqi: Heavy snowfall hit northern part of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in China’s far west on Sunday, blanketing areas including the Ili River Valley, Tacheng, and Altay, according to the National Meteorological Center. Northern Altay recorded up to 56.6 millimeters of precipitation, with snow accumulations ranging from 5 to 10 centimeters in certain locations.
The meteorological center forecasts continued snowfall across northern and southwestern Xinjiang through Thursday, with total accumulations expected to reach 15 to 40 millimeters, and up to 70 millimeters in some areas, potentially bringing new snow depths of up to 80 centimeters. Authorities have urged residents to clear snow from rooftops and roads, warning of low visibility and slippery conditions for travelers.
The current weather system is expected to spread snowfall across northern Xinjiang, parts of Tibet’s northern region, southeastern Qinghai, southern Gansu, northeastern Inner Mongolia, and Heilongjiang on Monday.
Meanwhile, dense fog blanketed areas in central and southern North China, as well as the Yellow and Huaihe River regions early Monday, with visibility in some parts of Shandong, Henan, and Jiangsu provinces dropping below 200 meters. The fog is forecasted to persist into Tuesday morning across parts of southern Hebei, Shandong, eastern Henan, Jiangsu, and northern Anhui, with light to moderate smog expected in central and southern North China and parts of the Yellow and Huaihe River areas. Improved air quality is expected by mid-week, as precipitation and a cold front move into the area. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
