Winter low of - 44.5 C hits Heilongjiang

Temperatures hit a low this winter of - 44.5 C in Mohe, China's northernmost county in Heilongjiang province, according to Wu Shusen, a senior engineer at the county's observatory.

"The temperature over the following two days will be around - 46 C and it is expected to drop to-47 C on Thursday," Wu said. "Then the temperature will increase slightly on Friday."

The region, regarded as the coldest in China, usually sees winters lasting eight months. Its record low is-52.3 C.