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Snow, freezing cold bring disruption to north China
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-22 18:35

Snow, freezing cold bring disruption to north China
A bulldozer cleans snow in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 22, 2009. An overnight snow hit Shenyang for the first time in 2009. [Xinhua]

Slight snow was forecast Thursday night in Dalian.

The cold wave has lowered temperatures by 8 to 10 degrees Celsius in China's most northern province of Heilongjiang. They plunged to minus 27 Celsius degrees in Harbin, the provincial capital, according to Heilongjiang Meteorological Station.

The freezing temperatures are forecast to move south across much of China, and the Central Meteorological Station (CMS) Wednesday issued an orange cold wave alert, the second most critical level after red.

The orange alert means temperatures are expected to drop by 12 degrees Celsius within 24 hours to below zero. It requires local governments prepare for potential emergencies, including failures in heating and water supplies or traffic blocks, according to the CMS.

It also warns farmers to take precautions to prevent crop and stock losses.

"The cold wave is expected to last until Saturday, but low temperatures could linger in south China next week," said CMS chief meteorologist Zong Zhiping.