BEIJING: Continued snowfall is expected to affect parts of western China over the next few days, potentially having an impact on agriculture, animal husbandry and transportation, the China Meteorological Administration said.
From Thursday to Sunday, a plateau trough will bring moderate to heavy snow or sleet to most parts of Qinghai province, the Xizang autonomous region, western Sichuan province, as well as the central and southern parts of Gansu province. Some areas are forecast to experience heavy to blizzard conditions, according to the administration.
China is likely to experience the onset of a La Nina climate pattern in the late autumn, which could bring freezing rain and snow to the north, southwest and central regions this winter, while southern areas may face periods of drought, meteorologists said.
Zhang Daquan, an official with the National Climate Center, said on Wednesday that recent monitoring of the ocean’s atmosphere showed much of the equatorial central and eastern Pacific has registered sea surface temperatures below normal, indicating a neutral-to-cool state. “On that basis, the climate prediction office forecasts a transition to La Nina conditions in the upcoming season,” Zhang said. Historically, during La Nina years in China, the period between December and February has seen a higher probability of below-average temperatures. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
