Rain and snow may hamper holiday rush

Rain and snow will sweep across the central and eastern parts of China over the next 10 days, which may influence the Spring Festival travel rush, according to the National Meteorological Center.

The 40-day travel rush, or chunyun, will kick off on Jan 10 and last till Feb 18, with about 3 billion trips expected to be made over the period.

The rain and snow, which will be heavy and across a wide area, will bring potential hazards such as low temperatures, slippery roads and poor visibility. The conditions could hamper transport operations at the start of the travel rush, center spokesman Zhang Zuqiang told a news conference on Friday.

Ai Wanxiu, chief forecaster at the National Climate Center, said that the average temperature in southern parts of China will be higher compared with previous years. The chance of extensive snowfall in southern China is small, she said.

Central and southern parts will experience rainy days, while northern provinces will face heavy snowfalls during the travel period, she said at the news conference.

"We encourage people to closely follow the weather forecast to better schedule their trips," she said.

The center said it will enhance weather information over the period, including issuing warnings about major weather events on Sina Weibo, WeChat and weather apps.

It also warned of possible haze in Beijing and Tianjin and the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi and Shaanxi due to the weaker cold air.

Heavy snow and rain will start Saturday and last till Tuesday, with the average temperature in most parts of China falling by 3 to 6 C, according to the center.