A fresh surge of cold air is set to push temperatures down across much of China over Oct 4–5, bringing a stronger autumn chill to northern regions and easing the muggy conditions that have lingered in the south.
The report said the latest cold front began affecting large parts of central and eastern China at the start of the National Day holiday, pulling temperatures back to near or below seasonal norms. Even so, South China remained notably humid and warm. A new round of cold air starting Oct 3 is expected to spread southward in stages: parts of eastern Inner Mongolia saw a 6–14°C drop, while cooling will extend to North China and the northern Huanghuai region on Oct 4, and then reach Jianghuai, eastern Jiangnan and South China on Oct 5.
After the front passes, temperatures across much of the central and eastern regions are forecast to fall to well below the usual level for this time of year, with many areas likely to log their lowest readings since the start of autumn. In major cities, highs in Changchun and Shenyang are expected to dip to around 13°C on Oct 4. Cities such as Hangzhou, Nanchang and Chongqing will hover just above 20°C in the following days, while Fuzhou, Guangzhou and Nanning are expected to see daytime highs drop below 30°C, with Nanning forecast to reach about 25°C on Oct 5.
Minimum temperatures in the south are also projected to set widespread new lows from Oct 5 to Oct 7. Lows in Hefei, Wuhan and Nanjing are expected to fall to the low teens (around 10°C), while Shanghai, Hangzhou, Changsha, Nanchang and Guiyang may sit near 15°C. Fuzhou, Guangzhou and Nanning are forecast to dip below 20°C, marking the first sub-20°C readings there since autumn began.
The cold air will also bring rain and snow to parts of central-eastern Inner Mongolia, northern Hebei and Northeast China, with precipitation moving from west to east through Oct 5. Higher-elevation areas around Xilin Gol League and Chifeng could see mixed precipitation turning to sleet or snow, and some places may record 3–8 cm of new snow, with isolated totals exceeding 10 cm, the report said.
Meanwhile, broad swaths of southern China will remain under persistent rain as cold and warm air masses converge. From the night of Oct 3 to Oct 4, parts of central Hunan, southern Guizhou, northern and eastern Guangxi, and eastern Yunnan are expected to see heavy to torrential rain. Rainfall is forecast to weaken and shift southeast from Oct 4 night to Oct 5, though Guangdong's coastal areas may still face scattered downpours accompanied by short-duration intense rainfall and thunderstorm winds.
Comment