Qinghai-Tibet Plateau receives biggest early winter snow in 57 years

BEIJING: China's northwestern Qinghai Province has witnessed record precipitation in the last 57 years as continuous snow swept the region since the beginning of November, a media report said Tuesday.

Snow accumulation between November 2 and 7 has reached 18 cm on the ground in Dulan County, Haixi Mongolian Tibet Autonomous Prefecture, where the height above mean sea-level averages 3,180 metres, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as the "roof of the world," is an important region to monitor climate changes with the weather and the glaciers as indicators.

"Twenty-seven counties in Qinghai have seen the November snow set historical records. The provincial capital of Xining has seen precipitation reach 25.8 mm, also a record high," said Ma Zhanliang, senior engineer with the provincial climate centre.

China is keeping the meteorological records of the region for the last 57 years.

He said the big snowfall was triggered by the collision of southward polar cold air and warm air from southern China.

>The provincial meteorological station warned that severe snowstorms and continuous cold weather would cause difficulties in road traffic, transport, agriculture and animal husbandry, the report said.