Rare, extreme snowfall hits Shandong cities

In a rare and extreme weather event, Yantai and Weihai cities in East China's Shandong province experienced a severe cold wave accompanied by heavy snowfall this week.

The snowfall created a unique and picturesque landscape, with netizens likening it to an Arctic expedition.

From Tuesday to Thursday, Yantai weather station received a snowfall of 28.6 millimeters, with a snow depth of 52 centimeters, breaking historical records since meteorological documentation began in 1951.

As of Friday, Wendeng district in Weihai reported a snow depth of 74 centimeters, setting a record for the deepest snow accumulation in Shandong province.

"This blizzard event is considered an extreme occurrence," Yang Chengfang, chief forecaster at the Shandong Meteorological Service, told Xinhua Daily Telegraph.

The cold wave and blizzard occurred from the afternoon of Dec 15 to 17, influenced by a strong cold air mass, she said.

She added that the event was unprecedented, with Wendeng breaking historical records for daily snowfall on Dec 16, reaching 27.5 millimeters.