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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
URUMQI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) — Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) is bracing for heavy snowfall and a sharp drop in temperatures, imposing traffic restrictions and putting heating suppliers on high alert.
On Wednesday, the Xinjiang weather service raised its cold weather alert from orange to red, the highest level in China's four-tier weather warning system, after forecasting temperatures in western and northern Xinjiang to drop by 16 to 20 degrees Celsius.
In Altay County, a famous ski resort in northern Xinjiang, moderate to heavy snowfall has been observed since Tuesday evening. In Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, more than 12.1 mm of precipitation fell between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
To minimize traffic disruptions, the Urumqi city government mobilized more than 16,000 utility workers and deployed 1,900 snow removal vehicles before the morning rush hour on Thursday.
The region also suspended train service on major railway lines and imposed traffic restrictions on 84 road sections, 26 of which were open to traffic by Thursday morning.
Heating suppliers in Xinjiang have also taken various precautionary measures and initiated emergency measures to prevent indoor temperatures from dropping.
"We are on standby 24/7 to respond promptly to any heating system failures," said Ma Lei of Yining City's main heating company.
According to China's National Meteorological Center (NMC), Xinjiang has become the first stop in a cold wave that will bring widespread lower temperatures and herald the first major snowfalls in China this winter.
Snowfall will increase significantly on Thursday and Friday, with heavy snowfall or even blizzards likely in regions such as Shaanxi Province in northwest China, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Shanxi and Hebei Provinces in northern China, and Henan Province in central China, the National Meteorological Center reported.
Meteorologists warn that this cold wave will affect vast areas and may be accompanied by a sharp drop in air temperatures and strong winds. Relevant agencies have been advised to take comprehensive precautions, and residents are advised to wrap up warm and exercise caution on the roads. -0-
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