China News Service, Beijing, February 1 (Wei Xianghui) Currently, at the peak of the Spring Festival travel season, people are returning home, and widespread rain, snow, and freezing weather has hit the central and eastern regions. Experts pointed out that El Niño is an important climate background for this widespread rain, snow and freezing weather. In response to this rainy, snowy and freezing weather, multiple departments have launched joint deployment and prevention and response work.

  Many highways in Henan were cleared of snow overnight to ensure smooth passage. Photo by Ma Ke

The strongest winter rain, snow and freezing weather since 2009

　　The Central Meteorological Observatory predicts that from February 1st to 5th, there will be a large-scale rain, snow and freezing weather process in my country, with the central and eastern regions being the main areas affected by this process. During this period, there will be snowfall in the eastern part of Northwest China, North China, Northeast China, and northern Huanghuai and other places. Rain will turn to sleet or snow in places such as central and southern Huanghuai, Jianghan, western and northern Jianghuai, northwest Hunan, central and northern Guizhou, and northern and eastern Chongqing. , most of the above-mentioned areas have moderate to heavy snow, some areas have heavy snow, local heavy snow or extremely heavy snow; most areas in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and south have moderate to heavy rain, and some areas have heavy rain.

　　"This is the strongest rain, snow and freezing weather in winter since 2009, and it is quite extreme." On the morning of February 1, the China Meteorological Administration held a media briefing, Xu Jun, chief forecaster of the Central Meteorological Observatory, said.

　　As for the cause, Xu Jun explained that this rain and snow process was caused by the interaction of abundant water vapor brought by the south branch trough that moved eastward and deepened and cold air from mid-to-high latitudes. The generated Jianghuai cyclone caused the 3-5 day The strongest period of rain and snow. Mainly affects the central and eastern regions.

　　Xu Jun mentioned that another feature of this process is the large scope of freezing rain. The cause is the abnormally strong transport of warmth and moisture. At the same time, the combination of cold air in the lower levels caused large-scale freezing rain in Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou and other places.

Why does heavy rain and snow appear in "warm winter"?

　　Zhao Junhu, chief on duty at the National Climate Center, said that historically, large-scale, long-lasting freezing rain and snow weather in our country is rare. “The one that impressed us most was in early 2008 (January 10 to February 2), when southern my country suffered from freezing rain, snow and low temperature disasters that were rare in history. It was wide-ranging, intense, long-lasting, and had severe impacts. It was rare in history. "The most recent one was from January to February 2022. Several obvious rain and snow weather processes occurred in southern my country, but the scope was small and the intensity was weak, and the impact was not as great as in 2008."

　　He introduced that according to the latest monitoring from the National Climate Center, the peak of the moderate-intensity El Niño event that began in May 2023 appeared in December and is now entering a recession period. This event is expected to last until the early spring of 2024. According to statistics, the El Niño event has the most significant impact on the weather and climate systems of the tropics and the southern hemisphere in the early stages of its development; during its peak development period in winter, it will affect the winter climate of the northern hemisphere.

　　In such a "warm winter", why did this heavy rain and snow weather occur? Zhao Junhu explained that in the winter when El Niño occurs, the temperature in most parts of my country is close to normal to high (some years will have warm winters), but cold air is active in phases, and the temperature in my country fluctuates greatly. On the other hand, in the winter of El Niño years, the intensity of the subtropical high in the northwest Pacific is stronger, and the water vapor conditions in central and eastern my country are better, so precipitation is likely to be higher than the same period in normal years. Therefore, the El Niño event is an important climate background for this widespread freezing rain and snow weather."

  Heavy snow suddenly fell on the watershed section of the Erguang Expressway, and road construction personnel ensured smooth passage in the snow. Photo by Zhou Peng

Multi-department joint deployment to prevent low-temperature rain, snow and freezing disasters

　　On the 31st, the Office of the National Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief Committee and the Ministry of Emergency Management held a joint special consultation with the China Meteorological Administration, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Transport, and the National Energy Administration, and video dispatched 10 provinces including Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, and Shaanxi to conduct research and judgment. The development trend of low-temperature rain, snow and ice and the deployment of prevention and response work.

　　The discussion emphasized that relevant departments in various places should attach great importance to it and implement various preventive measures. It is necessary to implement emergency traffic protection plans in advance, pre-position rescue teams and supplies and equipment, increase ice and snow removal and road inspection and control, strengthen the sharing of cross-regional road condition information and control dynamic notifications, and make every effort to ensure smooth traffic. It is necessary to focus on ensuring power supply, strengthen transmission line inspections and ice-covering observations, effectively remove and melt ice, ensure the safety of main network operations, determine high-risk areas in advance, prepare emergency repair teams, supplies, emergency power generation vehicles, etc., and carry out emergency response in a timely manner.

　　The consultation required that all localities should strengthen the investigation of hidden risks, pay close attention to key places such as dilapidated houses, long-span truss structure buildings, agricultural greenhouses, etc. to carry out hidden danger inspections, and organize transfers and avoidance in advance. Carry out safety hazard inspections in "nine small places" and crowded places to strictly prevent fire and poisoning accidents. Prevent landslides and other geological disasters caused by persistent heavy rain and snow, strengthen monitoring and early warning, and promptly organize the evacuation and relocation of people in dangerous areas. Local disaster reduction committees or special command agencies must strengthen scientific command and dispatch, overall planning and coordination, strengthen joint consultation and analysis and departmental coordination and linkage, strengthen the release of early warning information, make every effort to respond to emergencies and disasters, and make preparations for disaster relief in advance. We will make every effort to ensure the safety of people's lives and property and the smooth flow of Spring Festival travel. (over)