Shenzhen temperatures to dip to 16°C as cold wave moves south

A cold wave that brought heavy snow and freezing temperatures to northern China reached Shenzhen today, bringing strong winds and cooler weather, with temperatures forecast to fall to around 16°C tomorrow morning.

Temperatures across Shenzhen dropped by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius today, with readings hovering between 22°C and 24°C during the morning.

A map released shows minimum temperatures across the city between 8 p.m. Sunday and 5:50 a.m. Monday, as cooler air moved into the region. Shenzhen Meteorological Observatory 

The Shenzhen Meteorological Observatory expanded a blue alert for strong winds at 8:40 a.m. to cover Luohu, Nanshan and Futian districts, parts of Bao'an District, the Pearl River Estuary and Shenzhen Bay.

Gusts in the affected areas are expected to reach force 8 or higher on the Beaufort scale, and the alert could remain in effect through tomorrow. Residents are advised to take precautions against strong winds.

The cold wave has brought more severe weather to northern China. Qinhuangdao, a coastal city in Hebei Province, issued a red blizzard alert Sunday after heavy snowfall left some areas buried under up to 30 centimeters of snow. The snowfall also disrupted transport, prompting speed restrictions on trains using the Tianjin-Qinhuangdao high-speed railway.

In nearby Tianjin, snow and sleet accompanied a sharp drop in temperatures, with the city's meteorological authorities forecasting a daytime high of just 6°C Sunday.

Visitors enjoy the snow-covered grounds of the Mountain Resort in Chengde, Hebei Province, on Sunday, as a cold wave brought heavy snowfall and plunging temperatures to northern China before moving south toward Shenzhen. Xinhua

The cooler weather in southern China, meanwhile, sparked a lighthearted reaction online, with the phrase "Guangdong residents can finally put away their T-shirts" trending on Chinese social media.

Shenzhen is expected to see mostly sunny skies tomorrow, although strong gusts will continue along the coast, on higher ground and at sea.

Sunny and dry conditions are forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, with cooler mornings and evenings. Temperatures are expected to rise from Friday through Sunday, when mostly cloudy skies and occasional rain are forecast.

A 10-day forecast issued by the Shenzhen Meteorological Observatory shows temperatures dipping to 16°C tomorrow morning before gradually rising later in the week. Shenzhen Meteorological Observatory