A new cold wave is set to hit most parts of China from February 17 to 22, bringing severe temperature drops, widespread rain, and snow to the central and eastern regions.
The National Meteorological Center's chief forecaster warns that the rainy and snowy weather will elevate road traffic meteorological risks, potentially causing road snow and ice water accumulation and traffic congestion during the peak Spring Festival travel period.
Deputy Director Chen Jie of the Highway Monitoring and Response Center reported a significant increase in expressway traffic during the Spring Festival holiday. From February 10 to 15, daily traffic flow on expressways nationwide reached 57.53 million vehicles, marking a 19.15 percent rise compared to the same period last year.
On February 16, between midnight and noon, the total traffic volume on expressways across the country reached 29.65 million vehicles, roughly double the normal level. Return traffic is heavily concentrated towards major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, and Wuhan, placing immense pressure on the expressway network.
From February 17, the regions of Henan, Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou are expected to experience further freezing rain alongside the cold wave, creating a \"roller coaster\" of temperatures and challenging weather conditions.
In response to the anticipated conditions, the Highway Monitoring and Response Center will enhance research and analysis, prepare emergency traffic diversion personnel in advance, and strengthen monitoring and early warning systems to alleviate congestion during the travel rush.
Reference(s):
Cold wave forecast as return trips from Spring Festival travel begin
cgtn.com
