On March 2, heavy snowfall covered various parts of Shandong Province, China, with snow accumulation in Zibo City reaching beyond ankle depth. Jinan City issued consecutive red alerts for road surface freezing and heavy snow, leading to the temporary closure of elementary and middle schools on March 3. The snowfall from this event reached approximately 464 million cubic meters, equivalent to the water volume of about 387 Daming Lakes. Additionally, snow was reported in Henan, Anhui, and Hubei provinces, while hail was observed in Hunan Province.
According to the Jinan Meteorological Observatory, from midnight to 8 p.m. on March 2, snowfall measurements included 29.3 mm in the city center, 8.7 mm in Changqing District, 19.8 mm in Jiyang District, 21.2 mm in Shanghe County, 26.9 mm in Zhangqiu District, 3.3 mm in Laiwu District, and 3.2 mm in Pingyin County. Such large-scale snowfall in Jinan during March is extremely rare in recorded history. The total precipitation from this snowstorm was equivalent to 464 million cubic meters, comparable to the water volume of 387 Daming Lakes. Daming Lake, located in the heart of Jinan, is a well-known historical site formed by the city’s abundant spring water, which flows into the Xiaoqing River through the Luoshui River. The lake covers an area of approximately 57.7 hectares.
Meanwhile, the Zibo Meteorological Observatory upgraded its heavy snow orange alert to a red alert, the highest level, at 3:46 p.m. on March 2. At the time of issuance, snowfall in Zhangdian District had already reached 18.2 mm, with continuous snowfall in High-Tech and Economic Development Zones. Though the snow was expected to weaken by nighttime, it had been falling uninterrupted since 10 a.m., resulting in accumulations surpassing ankle depth in Zhangdian District. A local gym owner, Mr. Li, commented, “It’s been snowing non-stop since the morning. Even after shoveling, the snow piles up again immediately.” On social media, many residents shared photos and videos of the snowfall, with some reporting that snow on their cars had reached 20 cm.
On March 3, heavy snowfall persisted across Jinan, leading to frequent traffic accidents due to snow accumulation and icy roads. As a safety measure, all elementary and middle schools in Jinan, including private institutions, were temporarily closed. The cold wave not only affected Shandong but also extended to Henan and Anhui provinces. China’s Central Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow alert for blizzards, warning that between 8 a.m. on March 3 and 8 a.m. on March 4, heavy snowfall was expected in southern Shandong, southeastern Henan, northwestern Anhui, and northwestern Hubei. These areas were forecasted to receive an additional 4–8 cm of snow, with localized areas exceeding 10 cm.
At around 10 a.m. on March 3, light snow began falling in parts of Fuyang City, Anhui Province, intensifying into steady snowfall by noon. Snow quickly accumulated on pedestrians and parked cars, transforming the city into a winter landscape. According to the Anhui Meteorological Observatory, cloudy weather was expected to persist from March 3 to the morning of March 4, with heavy rain south of the Yangtze River and light snow north of the Huai River. Some regions were predicted to experience moderate to heavy snow, with localized blizzards. Additionally, in northern Jianghuai and the Dabie Mountains, rain was expected to turn into snow or sleet.
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Hubei Province also experienced snowfall, with precipitation beginning in Wuhan on the afternoon of March 2. By 8 a.m. on March 3, moderate rainfall was recorded in most parts of the city, while the southern part of Jiangxia District saw localized heavy rain and downpours. Due to the influence of a cold front, northerly winds across Hubei intensified throughout the afternoon and evening, reaching speeds of 4–6 meters per second, with gusts of 7–10 meters per second in some areas. In Shiyan and Xiangyang, snowfall continued from the night of March 2 into the morning of March 3, with accumulations confirmed in certain areas.
Hunan Province experienced extreme weather fluctuations as well. On the night of March 2, intense convective weather phenomena were reported in various regions. Many residents posted on social media about “large-diameter hailstones” falling in their areas. Reports indicated that temperatures in Hunan plummeted dramatically due to the cold wave, with some areas recording a drop of over 12°C. In Yueyang City, heavy hail fell continuously for over an hour, with hailstones reportedly as large as tangyuan (Chinese glutinous rice dumplings), affecting residents’ ability to go outside.
Over the next 24 hours, minimum temperatures or average temperatures across most of Hunan were expected to drop by another 12°C or more, reaching around 4°C. Some regions could also experience hail, short-term heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and strong winds. On the morning of March 3, Changsha saw brief snowfall, further highlighting the impact of the sudden cold wave.
The heavy snowfall and cold wave have disrupted transportation and affected daily life in many regions. Local governments are urged to implement thorough cold-weather and disaster-prevention measures to ensure the safety and well-being of residents.
Vision Times Japan contributed to this report.
