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Much of China braced for freezing weather as temperatures set to plunge to minus 10 Celsius

  • Siberian winds set to sweep across large parts of the country while gale force winds are expected to hit the eastern seaboard
  • Around two thirds of the country could experience freezing temperatures and heavy snows are expected in parts of the north

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Temperatures could drop below freezing in much of the country. Photo: AP

China is bracing for a severe cold snap to sweep much of the country, with the worst coming over the next two days.

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Winds from Siberia are expected to bring winds and freezing temperatures across wide swathes of the country, including heavy snows in the far northeast, gale force winds in waters along the eastern seaboard, and large temperature drops in central and eastern parts of the country, the China Meteorological Administration said on Sunday.

Some two-thirds of the country could experience freezing temperatures by Tuesday morning, as the cold wave makes its way south, causing significant temperature drops in central and eastern China, according to official reports.

The coldest weather is expected to last from Sunday through to Tuesday afternoon, with frigid conditions and lows of at least minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 Fahrenheit) expected across much of the northern half of the country.

Temperatures could drop to below minus 20 in parts of Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Tibet. Freezing temperatures could also reach the middle and lower parts of the Yangtze River, which cuts through central China to Shanghai.

Major cities such as Hefei, Wuhan, and Nanjing are expected to see freezing temperatures for the first time this winter, while other cities in the centre and east will experience temperatures more commonly found in the depths of winter.

02:13

Heavy snow hits northern China

Heavy snow hits northern China

Meteorological officials called for local governments in parts of the northeast expecting heavy snows to monitor the impact on transport, agriculture and energy supplies.

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