Record Snow Levels in East Asia

Parts of East Asia were dealing with record lows as early as last November. This past weekend, heavy snow fall and low temperatures hit again, slowing down daily life in cities such as Seoul and Beijing, covering them in blankets of snow.

There is chaos on the streets, with many roads closed, and at airports, with many people unable to fly due to cancellations.

Seoul's domestic airport, Gimpo, had to cancel over 200 flights before resuming service Monday afternoon, after the snowfall ceased.

An airport worker said that the “weather was bad at 2 a.m. in the morning, so yesterday was ok. Some flights were delayed or cancelled but all of the flights now are OK. Now it is a little bit cold and tomorrow it will be colder."

Weather experts in Seoul said that the 26 cm of snow that the city witnessed on Monday morning had been the worst since the city started conducting meteorological surveys in 1937.

Record levels in Beijing

China's capital Beijing has also been battling with the snow. At least 20 cm were recorded near the Great Wall and there were up to 33.5 cm in parts of central Beijing -- the highest levels in nearly 60 years.

Getting in or out of the city has become difficult, with Beijing's international airport having to cancel or delay around 90 percent of flights on Sunday and Monday. Expressways were also closed to the public on Monday morning while the government mobilised 300,000 people to clear roads.

"I am in Beijing right now and it has been snowing. Temperatures are lower than ever and Tuesday is expected to be even colder. Some of the major roads have been cleared now,” Xiegong Fischer of Deutsche Welle's Chinese service reported.

“But the government is telling everyone to be careful,” she added. “Schools are closed, so there is less traffic on the streets. And transportation is very slow because the streets are slippery. The government is advising everyone to stay warm and wear warm clothing."

Chaos-minimising measures

To minimise the chaos, the authorities have been urging people to use public transport instead of driving. There have been a high number of snow-related traffic accidents, resulting in numerous deaths.

Aside from icy roads, some are worried about the impact the snow and extremely cold weather will have on production and energy supplies. Unusually cold weather in China over the past two months has caused gas shortages, leaving distribution networks struggling to meet demand.

But experts do not expect any long-term effects on the economy. If anything at all, they predict a short-term increase in food prices, as the impact of this cold weather front is too small and local.

However long the snow lasts, especially if the schools remain closed, children are likely to be the last to complain.

Author: Sarah Berning
Editor: Thomas Bärthlein