Shenzhen will witness temperature drops later this week, as a cold snap is expected to start affecting the city from Thursday.

According to the city’s meteorological observatory, the minimum temperature will possibly drop to as low as 14 degrees Celsius. 

From Feb. 27 to March 17, Shenzhen is expected to remain under the influence of cold air, resulting in moist and rainy weather with fog and strong winds. The lowest temperature in Shenzhen could reach around 10 degrees Celsius. During this period, two instances of precipitation are expected, namely from Feb. 26 to 29 and from March 7 to 8, with accumulated rainfall of 40-60 millimeters.

Nationally, the cold snap will affect most parts of China. The national observatory issued an orange alert for the cold snap yesterday, predicting that the average temperature will decrease by 8 to 12 degrees Celsius in the coming days, accompanied by widespread rain and snowfall across the country.

Prior to the arrival of the main cold wave, the southern regions will experience three days of warm air masses counterattacking, resulting in a notable rise in temperature and the occurrence of extreme warmth.

As the cold wave moves southward, it will encounter strong resistance from warm and humid air currents, leading to widespread rain and snowfall. Northern regions will experience heavy snowfall, while the southern regions will see more pronounced rainfall and convection.

According to the Ministry of Transport, as of 8 a.m. yesterday, a total of 54 road sections have been closed in Northwest China's Gansu and Xinjiang, and 71 toll stations have been shut down due to snowfall. The resumption of traffic is yet to be determined.

The national observatory also predicts heavy snowfall in Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, and eastern Shandong provinces in the coming days. Meanwhile, some parts of the south can expect temperatures to drop to freezing point this week.

This cold spell’s impact is expected to disrupt road, rail, and air transportation, coinciding with the return of people from their Chinese New Year travels.

The observatory in northwestern Xinjiang has warned of potential avalanches in the mountainous Altay area, with projections of 30-50 cm of snowfall in northern parts of Xinjiang.