SNOW MISHAP: A rescue team helps move a vehicle in heavy snow in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in March 2010 (DING NING)

Last year's weather was the most unusual so far this century, according to the 2010 Chinese Climate Bulletin, a report released by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on January 12, with extreme weather and precipitation affecting large parts of the country.

Extreme weather was frequent throughout China in 2010. Northern and northeastern China experienced low temperatures not seen in the last 40 years, while the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region experienced the worst blizzard on record. From May through July, 14 heavy storms hit regions south of the Yangtze River, causing extreme flooding in many areas. Heavy precipitation in northern and western China also contributed to the mudslide disaster in Zhouqu, Gansu Province. Hainan Province also saw heavy rains throughout October. Along with heavy precipitation, China also experienced terrible droughts last year, especially in southwestern areas.

Skewed weather

Precipitation in China was skewed in 2010, with many southern regions in China experiencing heavy rain and snow, while northern China saw drier weather in the fall. Precipitation in many areas of northern China fell below 50 mm since last October, a reduction of 50-90 percent from normal levels. Henan and Jiangsu provinces hit record precipitation lows in 2010, while Shandong Province experienced its worst drought since meteorological records have been kept.

Beijing is no exception. Usually, it has snow around November 29, but Beijing has yet to have its first snowfall of the season.

Song Lianchun, Director of the National Climate Center (NCC), said atmospheric circulation in the mid- and high latitudes, which helps move cold air south, is one reason for reduced precipitation in north China. He said cold air has been moving so forcefully from north to south that moist southern air has been unable to flow north, thus reducing the chance of precipitation across north China.

Song said the appearance of La Nina beginning in July 2010 has played a big role in recent unusual weather. During a La Nina episode the surface temperature of the eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator is about 3-5 degrees Celsius lower than normal, causing heavy rains in the western Pacific and China.

HEAVY RAIN: Steady rain last October makes travel difficult in Hainan Province (MENG ZHONGDE)

Although this winter's freezing weather bears a resemblance to the cold winter of 2008, Song said there were many differences. Temperatures weren't as low as 2008, nor is precipitation as great. Also, the area affected by freezing temperatures is smaller.

The direct economic loss from these meteorological phenomena reached more than 500 billion yuan ($74 billion). More than 4,800 people have died as the result of these disasters. Both set records for the new century.

According to Zheng Guoguang, Director of the CMA, climate-related disasters triggered 31 emergency responses last year, for a total of 208 days.

Global warming is culprit

Abnormal activity involving the atmosphere, sea, ice, snow and land all contributed to climate anomalies in 2010, said Song.

Global warming is the underlying cause of the meteorological events seen in 2010, he said. Global warming, which has been developing for a century, not only raises temperatures but also helps produce extreme weather. Extreme events, not seen in the last few decades, will appear more frequently in the future, Song said.

The NCC predicts that 2010's meteorological anomalies will continue at least through January, bringing more freezing rain and low temperatures to southern China and limiting precipitation in northern China.

It predicts temperatures will be lower than usual during the 2011 Spring Festival period. It is calling for possible blizzard activity in northern China, as well as snow and heavy rain in parts of southwestern and southern China. On the brighter side, conditions are not predicted to be as bad as in January 2008.