This is causing significant heat supply problems and marking one of the coldest seasons in seven decades

Beijing is experiencing its longest cold snap since 1951, according to weather measurements. Temperatures recorded at Beijing's Nanjiao weather station topped zero degrees Celsius on Sunday afternoon after several days of extreme frost. The state-run Beijing Daily confirmed that since the beginning of December, the temperature has remained below freezing for more than 300 consecutive hours.

Areas in northern and northeastern China have also experienced record cold, with some regions reaching temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius and even lower. This period of extreme cold was caused by a cold air flow from the Arctic, reports Digi24.

Beijing has recorded nine consecutive days with temperatures below -10 degrees Celsius, and several cities in central China's Henan province are facing a heat supply crisis. Heat suppliers in the city of Jiaozuo have had problems, and one of the main suppliers, JiaoZuo WanFang Aluminum Manufacturing, has announced that its heating boilers have broken down.

The Chinese authorities are trying to fix the faults and resume heat supply on 26 December. During this period, the city will suspend heat supply to most businesses, prioritizing use in the residential sector.

Maintenance and repair projects could temporarily affect some residential complexes, while Chinese meteorologists predict a gradual improvement in temperatures, with warmer air moving in from the north of the country to the south.