TMCnet News
Northwest China region sees rare warm and humid winter weather(Comtex Environment Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)URUMQI, Feb 7, 2006 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The northern part of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Northwest China was treated to a warm front and recorded higher than average temperatures, the local meteorological department said Tuesday. The lowest temperature on Tuesday morning reached 1.2 degrees Centigrade, 6 to 10 degrees higher than in the same period last year. The warm front and high air pressure also brought plentiful rainfall to the northern part of the region. In the capital city of Urumqi, 11 mm of rainfall was recorded on Monday evening, which turned into snowflakes in the early hours of Tuesday due to falling temperatures. The rain forced the Urumqi International Airport to suspend operation from 11 p.m. on Monday. A total of 14 arrivals were delayed, eight of which landed at the nearby Dunhuang Airport of Gansu Province, and about 1,500 passengers were held up at the airport. The severe weather also led to the closure of major highways linking Urumqi and the northern cities and townships in the autonomous region, including Tacheng, Yili, Bole and Kuitun. The meteorological department has cautioned local governments in northern Xinjiang against possible floods caused by melted snow in the coming days and reminded them to be fully prepared. Xinjiang has a typical continental climate with a dry, cold wintertime. Its annual amount of precipitation is about 150 mm. |