As the Spring Festival travel rush kicks off, a new round of cold wave weather is set to hit most parts of China from February 17 to 22. Expect severe temperature drops accompanied by widespread rain and snow, especially in the central and eastern regions.
The chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center warns that road traffic meteorological risks will be high. Rainy and snowy conditions may lead to snow and ice accumulation on roads, causing significant traffic congestion during this peak travel period.
Chen Jie, deputy director of the Highway Monitoring and Response Center, shared that traffic on expressways surged during the Spring Festival holiday. From February 10 to 15, daily traffic flow reached 57.53 million vehicles, marking a 19.15% increase from last year. On February 16 alone, the total traffic volume hit 29.65 million vehicles, roughly double the normal level.
With return traffic heavily concentrated towards major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Guangzhou, and Wuhan, expressways are under immense pressure. Starting February 17, the anticipated cold wave will bring a "roller coaster" of temperatures, including freezing rain in provinces like Henan, Hubei, Hunan, and Guizhou.
To tackle these challenges, the Highway Monitoring and Response Center is ramping up research and analysis. They are preparing emergency traffic diversion plans and strengthening monitoring and early warning systems to help ease congestion and ensure safe travels during the festive season.
NewspaperAmigo – Your Global News Buddy 
Expect severe temperature drops accompanied by widespread rain and snow, especially in the central and eastern regions.
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