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BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- A cold wave has struck, and temperatures in many places in the northern hemisphere have plummeted. Countries and regions that endure harsh winters every year have their own tricks up their sleeves when it comes to dealing with the challenges of cold weather and snow and ice.
There is a plan for resisting cold waves
Thanks to the improvement of weather forecasting mechanisms, some countries often issue warnings before cold spells and snowstorms to remind people and departments to prepare and activate corresponding plans.
On May 20, in the Mongolian province of Sukhbaatar, a truck travels in a snowstorm. Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of BBS TV in Sukhbaatar Province, Mongolia)
Since mid-December, most parts of Mongolia have encountered extremely cold weather, with the temperature in some areas plummeting below minus 40 degrees Celsius, and the temperature in the capital Ulaanbaatar falling below minus 30 degrees Celsius for many consecutive days, and more than 80% of the country's land area is covered by heavy snow, with an average ice and snow thickness of more than 20 centimeters in some areas.
Affected by the extremely cold weather, the Ministry of Education and Science of Mongolia has decided to switch to online teaching mode in all primary and secondary schools across the country from mid to late December. In addition, from December 18 to February 1, 2024, the urban area of Ulaanbaatar will implement odd and even number restrictions for motor vehicles to ease the traffic situation in extremely cold and icy weather.
This is the frozen sea surface of the Golden Horn in Vladivostok, Russia, taken on January 24, 2023. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Guo Feizhou)
The climate in the Russian Far East is harsh, with long, cold winters and low temperatures for up to half a year. In order to ensure the safety and convenience of residents, the local government of the Russian Far East will issue targeted weather warnings to different groups of people, and also announce the heating and power supply failures of residential buildings and the progress of maintenance through the Internet.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) released "early weather information" on low temperatures and heavy snow in the middle of this month: from December 20 until around Christmas, most of Japan will experience a widespread drop in temperatures, with average temperatures more than 2 degrees Celsius lower than the average for the same period of the year. When heavy snow is approaching, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) will issue "Cautionary Notices", "Warnings", and "Special Alerts" depending on the situation.
The National Weather Service typically issues warnings between 12 hours and 48 hours before winter storms. Local governments and communities in the U.S. require residents to install and test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup to address the risks that people may encounter indoors during extreme weather.
There is a strategy for snow clearing
In areas with a lot of snowfall, preventing and clearing snow is a "must-have" every winter.
Pedestrians brave snow in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, on December 23, 2022. Xinhua/Kyodo News
Many cities in Japan receive more snow in winter and deeper snow than their European and American counterparts at the same latitude. In Japanese cities where there is a lot of snow in winter, houses are often designed with steep roofs to avoid excessive snowfall. The location of snow falling on the roof is also measured in advance to prevent it from falling on public roads or neighbors' homes.
In order to save manpower, Japan has strengthened the research and development of snow removal technology. The East Japan Expressway Corporation has developed a satellite system that uses navigation satellites to locate snowplows with high accuracy, and uses high-precision maps to determine whether the snowplow is on line or whether it will hit obstacles. The company is currently developing technology for driving control of snow plows and high-speed snow removal trucks, with the goal of fully automated snow removal after 2025.
Workers clear snow from steps in Moscow, Russia, Oct. 27, 2023. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Alexander)
According to Rossiya Gazeta, about 60,000 municipal workers and 15,000 pieces of technical equipment are currently working in the capital Moscow every day to remove snow. In addition to traditional snow shovels, Russia has invested a large number of modern equipment such as electric snow shovels, multi-kinetic snow plows, snow plows, and snow throwers for snow removal. After receiving the snowfall forecast, the city will treat steep slopes, embankments, bridges, tunnels and other sections with de-icing materials.
There are guidelines for winter protection
In the cold winter season, some countries will also issue cold prevention guidelines to guide individuals and families to use scientific methods to protect themselves from the cold.
In Russia, experts from the local emergency services recommend a "three-layered approach" when choosing warm clothing: the first layer is intimate clothing, i.e. breathable thermal underwear, the second layer is insulating, you can choose sweaters, sweatshirts, leggings, and the third layer is a protective layer, which can be worn ski clothes, windproof jackets, down jackets or fur coats. Shoes worn in cold weather should be one size larger than usual, warm socks should be worn, and tight shoes are not recommended because they may squeeze blood vessels and cause frostbite on the feet.
In Canada, Toronto, the largest city, released its winter service plan in November. According to the plan, when the temperature drops to minus 5 degrees Celsius, four cold shelters in the city will be opened, and when the temperature drops to -15 degrees Celsius, government patrols will discourage homeless people sleeping on the streets to take shelter indoors and open up more cold shelters.
Residents clear snow on a road in New York, U.S., Jan. 29, 2022. Winter storms bring heavy snow and strong winds to New York City and surrounding areas. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Yanan
In November, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched its first program to prepare for cold winter weather through education, awareness and other activities to raise public awareness of risks and explain ways to deal with severe weather. In response to extreme weather, the U.S. government has also launched the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to help people who can't afford to pay for heating or home repairs when extreme weather strikes. (Text reporters: Ge Chen, Chen Jing, Qian Zheng, Tan Jingjing, Asgang, Chen Chang, Chen Ting, Lin Wei; video reporters: Li Guangzheng, Meng Jing, Li Haitao (reporters), Guo Feizhou (reporters); editors: Lu Yu, Sun Shuo; editors: Zhang Miao, Chen Yong, Zhang Ying, Ma Xiaoyan, Chen Dan, Xu Xiaolei)