Pictures | The arrival of the first snow storm in China and the entry of winter weather early

Arab Weather - On Sunday, the Chinese Meteorological Agency issued the first orange warning of a winter snowstorm (the second highest level), while cold wave warnings raised concerns about traffic disruptions and flu outbreaks amid a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The National Meteorological Center forecast snowstorms in northeast China, with snow in some areas reaching 45 mm (1.8 inches) over a 24 hour period and heavy snow in the northern part of the country.

The capital, Beijing, received its first snow of the season 23 days earlier than usual, while temperatures on Sunday night are expected to drop to their lowest levels in the past decade.

The weather agency said a cold snap was sweeping areas from Beijing to Shanghai to Guangzhou, dropping temperatures by as much as 14 degrees Celsius (25 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday.

The cold snap, which can increase the risk of influenza, comes as more than 20 cities in northern China have reported cases of COVID-19 and sporadic outbreaks in the southwest — in Chongqing, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, since mid-October.

Hundreds of thousands of people have come outdoors in Beijing to enjoy snowy tourist spots, such as the Forbidden City and Universal Studios Resort, despite COVID-19 restrictions.