The coldest period of winter is about to turn into March! A strong warm spell has arrived, with temperatures in many areas expected to reach 20°C.

Over the past weekend, Weihai and Yantai in Shandong Province experienced torrential snowfall, and snow photos quickly became a trending topic on various social media platforms this morning. In fact, Weihai and Yantai are known as "snow havens," and in winter, most of their snowfall is "cold-flow snow."

The snowfall in Weihai and Yantai was heavy, and many parts of northern Xinjiang and Northeast China also experienced significant snowfall today. However, for most other parts of the country, rain and snow were very scarce. Moreover, before the 17th, although cold air was relatively active, it was all minor and its impact was mainly concentrated in the east and north.

So starting today, most parts of the country are experiencing a significant warming trend! This warming is not only widespread, but also characterized by a strong temperature increase and a relatively long duration. It is expected to continue until the 16th, with a very significant rise in daytime high temperatures. Compared to the lows on the 11th, the cumulative increase in high temperatures in many parts of North China to the Yangtze River Delta region can reach 8°C to 12°C, while in Shandong, Henan, and Jiangsu, the increase can reach around 15°C.

During this period, the peak temperatures will mostly occur from January 14th to 16th, with some areas along the Yangtze River reaching highs of 20°C. After the warming, many places will experience unusually warm temperatures for this time of year! Large areas between the Yellow River and the Yangtze River will see significantly higher maximum temperatures than usual for this time of year, with some places even exceeding 10°C. What should be the coldest period of the year, known as the "Three Nines" (the coldest days of winter), will feel like March. Cities like Hefei, Changsha, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Zhengzhou will experience unusually warm temperatures, potentially approaching or even breaking their local mid-January warmest records.

The days will be sunny and dry with a significant rise in maximum temperature. However, the lack of cloud cover at night will cause heat to dissipate quickly, leading to a further widening of the temperature difference between day and night. In many places, the temperature difference between day and night will be around 15°C from the 12th to the 13th. It will feel like two different seasons during the day and night. Please pay attention to adding or removing clothing in a timely manner according to the temperature changes.

Of course, the cold air won't give up so easily; it will accumulate energy and power in Siberia. This winter, the third nine-day period won't be too cold, but the fourth nine-day period may be the coldest. Starting this weekend, a strong cold front will arrive. This time, the cold air won't move southward explosively, but rather slowly infiltrate southward, causing widespread temperature drops and potentially triggering significant rain and snow. The exact timing is still far off; we'll see closer to the future.

Source: China Weather Network