Since the winter of 2003, the temperature changed strongly all over the China. Most regions of South China suffered a severe cold in the Spring Festival. South of Jiangsu province and South China experienced a rainfall process in turn, which relieved the drought in these areas.

     o Temperature changed strongly

     In the beginning of winter, the cold air effected China was weak. Temperature in most part of China was close to or a little higher than normal. Especially from last dekad of December 2003 to first dekad of January 2004, the temperature in most part of region north to the Yangtze River was 2 to 6 centidegree higher than normal. In Heilongjiang, Jilin provinces and Beijing, average temperature in last dekad of December broke their historic records. But from middle dekad of January 2004, suffered with a strong cold wind, most part of China experienced a temperature dropping process. Especially during the Spring Festival, the temperature in most part of china was lower than normal. Temperature in regions south to lower reaches of Yellow River was 2 to 4 centidegree lower than normal. Serious cold weather appeared in Fujian and Guangdong provinces. Temperature in these areas was 4 to 6 centidegree lower than normal. Freeze, ice rain or frost appeared in part of Guangdong, Guangxi and Guizhou provinces, which brought about influences on agricultural activity and traffic safety in some degrees during the Spring Festival.

     o Drought in South of Jiangsu province and South China relieved

     From summer to autumn in 2003, south of Jiangsu province and South China experienced a continuously drought. Since winter of 2003, most part of regions south to China kept rainless. During December 2003 and first dekad of January 2004, precipitation in most part of regions south to Yangtze River was less than 50mm. Especially in south of Fujian and east of Guangdong province, there were no rainfall at this time. Drought lasted from summer to winter. Continuously rare precipitation brought about influence on agricultural activity, waterpower generation and water utilization in some regions. Since middle dekad of January 2004, Jiangnan and South China experienced three rainfall processes. The general precipitation was 30mm to 50mm in most regions. Part of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hunan provinces, the general precipitation reached 50mm to 100mm. Drought in these regions relieved in a certain degree. Because the drought lasted for so long, water storage in river, lake and reservoir was deficient seriously. The problem of water utilization and drought in some region exited still. In addition, there is rare snow in North of China since winter of 2003. Because precipitation was less than 10mm but temperature was higher than normal, the sign of drought in these regions appeared.

     o Fog and Snow

     Since winter of 2003, foggy weather happened frequently in middle and east of China, which brought about lots of trouble on traffic. With thick fog, highway had to be closed and flight was postponed. In the middle dekad of January 2004, most part of Inner Mongolia experienced snow and low temperature weather, which effected stock farming and traffic in some degree. During 23 and 25 of January, there was a small or middle snow process in most part of Tibet and there was a heavy snow or snowstorm process in local area. Precipitation at Shelamu station in Tibet reached 46mm.