Weather warning as strongest chill in 40 years approaches
Shanghai issued a yellow alert for low temperatures and a blue alert for cold waves on Wednesday afternoon ahead of a strong chill that will not have been seen in 40 years.
The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau said the lowest temperatures will drop to minus 3 degrees Celsius on Thursday morning with thin ice in the downtown area, while the suburbs will be as cold as minus 4 to minus 6 degrees with freezing or severe freezing conditions. The temperatures will be under zero degrees all day.
Residents, especially children and the elderly, outdoor workers, and those suffering from respiratory diseases and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, are warned to protect themselves against the severe chill.
Dressed for the cold, and it's getting colder.
Shanghai has also been preparing for the upcoming annual tomb-sweeping peak day on Friday.
In China, the Winter Solstice, like the Qingming Festival, is a time when people pay homage to their ancestors. This year, it falls on December 22.
On the day, more than 700,000 vehicles are estimated at provincial border crossings on the city's expressways and roads.
The combination of sweeping vehicles and peak working hours is estimated to lead to a rapid increase of traffic flow on the city's expressway network, and the peak hours are forecast to last between 6am and 10am with periodic congestion on some expressways.
The freezing temperatures are expected to further add to traffic pressure, traffic police warned.
Traffic congestion will mainly peak in the Pudong New Area, Jiading, Fengxian, Qingpu and Baoshan districts, bringing significant increase of traffic flow at toll stations leading to cemeteries.
To cope with the traffic pressure, traffic police will step up guidance on expressways and roads leading to cemeteries and beef up a crackdown on traffic offences such as illegal parking.
Patrols will be stepped up on certain parts of the S2, S4, S5, G50 and G1503 expressways, as well as Huaxia Elevated Road, Zhufeng Highway, Hunan Highway, Jiasong Road N., and Tanglu Road.
Once snowy, icy or foggy weather conditions appear, emergency plans will be launched.
A recent memorial event at Fushouyuan Cemetery.
"Notebook" memorial program
Meanwhile, cemeteries are launching a number of memorial and life education activities for the day.
What do you want to say to your beloved ones? Say it in a notebook.
A special notebook program called "a life walking stick handbook" has been launched by Fu Shou Yuan International Group, China's largest cemetery and funeral service provider.
It encourages people to record the most important moments in their lives and their beautiful memories.
A number of activities gathering medical workers, psychologists, education workers and funeral and interment staff in discussions and sharing have been held as part of the program.
The notebook is like a walking stick guiding writers to take a look back at the most important things in their lives, thus exploring their hidden memories, releasing their emotions, and gaining power and courage over their life, said Xing Weidong, head of the program.
"We hope people will review their inner world and express emotions, thus confronting various challenges and tests in their life bravely, and cherishing their relationship with family members, via the program," said Xing. "It is an important extension of the Winter Solstice."
The notebook which will encourage people to record the most important moments in their lives and their beautiful memories.
