Shanghai Experiences Its Heaviest Snow in Five Years

By Yuzhou Hu, Jan 26, 2018 17:18

In the past two days, Shanghai experienced its largest snowfall in five years. While residents indulged in its beauty, by taking photos and making snowmen, the city itself faced a tremendous ordeal due to the extreme weather.

Both a yellow alert for snow storm and an orange alert for road icing were posted by the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau on Thursday. They had also forecasted up to 10 millimeters of snow over the following 12 hours, along with severe conditions with slippery roads.

To ensure road safety, road administration workers joined forces with police officers, working through the night to clear the accumulating snow. Approximately 1,200 tons of a snow-melting agent and 3,100 tons of industrial salt have been applied.

Thanks to their efforts and labor, residents of Shanghai woke up this morning to many smooth and snowless roads in most main areas of town. Moreover, both the snow storm and road icing alerts were withdrawn today at 5.14am and 10.09am respectively. That being said, the city is still affected by the aftermath of the heavy snow.

Several road accidents happened this morning because of the road icing, causing temporary traffic jams on some roads. Fortunately, according to police, no causalities have been reported.

This may explain why many schools in Shanghai remained closed today, as schools and bus companies didn’t want to take any risks transporting students to school on the icy roads. Although kids were granted a day off to entertain themselves, no doubt in the snow, parents must take care when their little ones are throwing snowballs at each other’s faces, because a lot of snow has been sprinkled with a melting agent, harmful to the eyes.

Many tourist attractions and parks are also closed due to safety concerns. According to the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau, over 40 parks are closed today for snow clearing, including Zhabei Park, Zhongshan Park and all parks in Putuo and Hongkou districts. Sheshan Observatory and Zhujiajiao Ancient Town suspended their operation, too.

As to the remaining scenic spots, emergency plans have been undertaken to maintain regular operation. For instance, Chen Shan Botanical Garden laid grass curtains on wet roads and Shanghai Wild Animal Park provided extra food for animals to battle the cold weather.

Despite the fact that the snow has stopped falling today, forecasts predict the cold weather will continue into next week, with the lowest temperature lingering between 0 and -2 degrees Celsius. So, continue to stay warm, and stay safe on the roads.