Rare snowfall hits Shanghai

January 20, 2026 / 11:57 AM

Sharjah24 - Reuters: A wave of low temperatures sweeping across southern China brought rare snowfall to Shanghai on Tuesday, delighting residents in the financial hub, as authorities warned that the cold spell could persist for at least three days.

Unusual weather after recent warmth

The eastern coastal city last experienced heavy snowfall in January 2018. Just a week earlier, Shanghai had recorded unusually high temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit), which local media said had even caused some osmanthus trees to bloom.

Residents react to shifting temperatures

“The weather seems rather strange this year,” said 30-year-old resident Yu Xin.
“In general, the temperature fluctuations have been quite significant, so some people might feel a bit uncomfortable,” she added.

Sharp drops across other provinces

Chinese state media reported that other regions also saw sharp temperature declines, including Jiangxi and Guizhou provinces, which lie south of China’s Yangtze and Huai rivers. According to Zhejiang News, Guizhou province is expected to experience temperature drops of between 10 and 14 degrees Celsius.

Road closures amid icy conditions

Across China, authorities have closed 241 sections of major roads in 12 provinces, including Shanxi, Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang, due to snowfall and icy road conditions, state broadcaster CCTV reported.