WORLD WEATHER: Siberia first reaches -40°C and China is hit by early snowstorm
Winter is off to a good start in Siberia, as temperatures plummeted to below -40°C for the first time this season. The freezing value was recorded on the 8th of November in the small town of Delyankir, situated in the Russian republic of Sakha-Jacuzia, about 140 km North-East of Ojmjakon, known as the coldest inhabited place on Earth. As cold as this temperature may seem, it is far from representing a record in Jacuzia: the lowest value for the month of November is -58.5°C, recorded in the aforementioned Ojmjakon.
China is also facing its first winter weather breakout for the season, as an intense snowstorm swept the northeastern part of the country in the last days. The heaviest snowfall was recorded over the last weekend in Jinzhou, in the Liaoning province, with over 30 cm of fresh snow. Also the capital city of Beijing has not been spared by adverse weather conditions, especially on Sunday, with 4 to 10 cm of snow on the ground and temperatures below freezing for most of the day. As reported by the Washington Post, multiple highways were closed, bus service was disrupted and flights were canceled at the city's airports. High-speed trains to Tianjin and Shanghai were also severely delayed or canceled.
Below are some scenes from China's capital in during the early snowstorm.