Yinchuan in Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is blanked with heavy smog on December 26, 2023. Photo: IC

The severest smog during the autumn and winter of 2023 is expected to impact North China and the region between the Yellow River and Huaihe River from Thursday to Saturday, China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast on Tuesday, warning of the traffic risks the smog would cause as the New Year holidays approaches.

Due to the weakened cold air affecting China, a vast range of areas from North China to Huanghuai region, from Northeast China to Sichuan Basin will suffer from foggy and smoggy weather.

From Thursday to Saturday morning, heavy fog with visibility of less than 200 meters will appear in the eastern part of North China's Hebei Province, western part of East China's Shandong Province, middle and southern parts of East China's Jiangsu Province, northeastern part of East China's Anhui Province and some parts of Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

Between Friday evening and Saturday morning when the smog will have the severest impact, the PM2.5 concentration will be estimated between 150 to 250 micrograms per cubic meter, with the peak in some places reaching 250 micrograms per cubic meter.

From Saturday, a cold front will affect the country which is expected to help increase the atmospheric diffusion condition and improve the air condition in aforementioned areas.

Between Thursday and Saturday, the foggy and hazy weather in the middle and southern parts of North China, Huanghuai region, eastern part of Jianghuai area, Sichuan Basin will affect road traffic and human's health.

Some highways in Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi and Sichuan provinces will have visibility of less than 500 meters and even less than 200 meters in some places, causing high risks to the traffic safety and easily causing traffic congestions, as the travel rush is approaching for the New Year holidays, the NMC said.

Global Times