Heavy snow afflicts north China

• Source: Global Times
• [05:45 January 04 2010]
• Comments

Jericho McCune, an American from Ohio state who has spent five and a half years in China, told the Global Times that such heavy snow is quite common in his hometown but rare in Beijing and Shanxi, a province he lived in for four years.

He said the Chinese government has done enough to cope with the extreme weather.

The southern provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Fujian are expected to experience heavy fog.

Jiangxi Province, in central China, closed highways after a red alert of foggy weather was forecast, with visibility in some areas below 40 meters.

Zhang Mingying, a meteorologist at the Bejing Meteorology Bureau, told the Global Times that snowstorms and foggy weather are not uncommon during this period of the year.

"Not only China but also Europe and North America are experiencing a cold snap," he said.

Despite the inconvenience the snow brings to most parts of China, most residents welcome the snow, calling the snow an auspicious sign.

"As the old Chinese saying goes, 'A timely heavy snow promises a good harvest," and I expect a very auspicious year for China," Wu Jixiu, a resident in Wuhan, Hubei Province, told the Global Times.

Guo Qiang and Liang Chen contributed to this story