A powerful cold wave is affecting vast swathes of China, bringing sharp temperature drops, strong winds, widespread snow, and freezing rain from Saturday to Wednesday. Media reports on Monday noted that many local governments have suspended classes and activated emergency responses in response to the severe weather.
National Weather Warnings Issued
On Sunday evening, China’s National Meteorological Center released multiple weather alerts: a yellow alertfor cold waves, a blue alertfor heavy snow, and a yellow alertfor icing. The warnings indicate that from Saturday night through Wednesday, central and eastern China — including the Huanghuai, Jianghuai, Jiangnan regions and parts of South China — will face steep temperature declines, strong winds, and extensive rain and snow.
Regional Snowfall and Freezing Rain Risks
According to CCTV News, heavy snowfall is forecast for parts of Shaanxi, Henan, Anhui, and Hubei provinces. Meanwhile, freezing rain and ice buildup could impact Henan, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou provinces, and Chongqing Municipality, raising risks for transport and daily life.
Class Suspensions Announced in Multiple Provinces
As the cold wave and snow intensified, several provinces moved to halt in‑person schooling. In eastern China’s Anhui Province, education departments in several cities suspended kindergarten, primary, and secondary school classes. In central China’s Henan Province, cities such as Zhoukou and Zhumadian issued similar notices because of heavy snowfall. In Jiangsu Province, also in eastern China, Xuzhou announced a two‑day suspension for primary and secondary schools and kindergartens, prompted by forecasts of heavy snow and severe icing.
Railway Services Adjusted for Safety
The Yangtze River Delta railway network will temporarily suspend certain passenger services from Sunday to Wednesday due to snow and related severe weather, according to a Monday post on the official Weibo account of China Railway Shanghai Group. To protect operations and passengers, authorities will halt selected trains between 8 am Monday and 8 am Tuesday on several high‑speed lines running through affected areas, including segments of the Beijing–Hong Kong, Beijing–Shanghai, Shanghai–Chengdu, Xuzhou–Lanzhou, Hefei–Bengbu, Zhengzhou–Fuyang, and Hefei–Xinyi routes.
Railway officials added that they will continue monitoring weather conditions and adopt flexible measures — such as speed restrictions, further suspensions, service resumptions, or additional trains — dynamically adjusting operations to safeguard passengers and meet travel demands.
