Beijing sees longest dry spell in 47 yrs

BEIJING - Beijing recorded 115 consecutive days without "effective precipitation" as of Wednesday, its longest dry spell in 47 years.

The Chinese capital has not seen precipitation of 0.1 mm or more on any of the past 115 days, according to Beijing's climate observatory.

The previous longest dry spell was between October 1970 and February 1971, when the city experienced a 114-day rainless streak.

Beijing has seen plenty of cold fronts this winter, but there has been a lack of moisture in the atmosphere, making it difficult for snow to form.

Since November 2017, under the influence of La Nina, the Siberian high pressure area and the East Asian trough have intensified, leading to colder air in northern China.

However, the subtropical high in the West Pacific is in a position that is not conducive for wet warm air from southern China to move northward and meet the cold air, said Shi Hongbo with the Beijing Climate Center.

Beijing is forecast to see sunny to overcast weather without marked snowfall and extreme low temperatures during the 7-day Chinese Lunar New Year holiday starting Thursday, according to the Beijing Meteorological Service.