Shanghai Wakes Up to a Rare White Morning

Snowflakes drifted over Shanghai overnight, turning an ordinary winter morning into a moment of collective wonder. As residents awoke, "Shanghai snowing" topped social media trends.

Snow was reported in districts such as Pudong, Jiading, Chongming, Baoshan, Hongkou, Yangpu and Fengxian, igniting excitement across a city unaccustomed to winter snowfall.

Meteorologists said most of Shanghai had experienced snowfall from late last night to early morning when a rain-and-snow system headed southeast. In some suburbs, tiny layers of snow covered cars, grass, and rooftops, but not enough to play with snow.

Cold weather can cause icy patches on roads and bridges, prompting traffic safety warnings.

Low temperatures have prompted a blue gale alert across the city and a yellow road icing alert in Qingpu, Chongming, Jiading, Minhang, Baoshan, and Songjiang. Songjiang has also issued a yellow frost alert, warning of slippery roads and freezing conditions.

From 5:56am, Sandao Passenger Transport suspended Songma and Songheng ferry services due to strong winds.

Tuesday marks "Major Cold," the final solar term in China's traditional calendar. Daytime temperatures are expected to hover around 4 degrees Celsius, accompanied by strong northerly winds reaching Level 4 to 5, with gusts up to Level 6.

The biting wind and high humidity are making the chill feel even more severe, with some people commenting that it feels like "stepping into a refrigerator."

Riverside and coastal areas may see light snow till lunchtime on Wednesday before clouds roll in. The chilly period will last until Thursday, when temperatures will drop. Downtown Shanghai may expect morning lows around minus 1 degree Celsius, while the suburbs may drop to minus 6 to 3 degrees, causing freezing or severe freezing.

Clearer skies and a small temperature rebound are expected on Friday after winds weaken later on Thursday.

Across the city, community workers are checking on elderly residents, rescue stations are increasing patrols, and agricultural bases have triggered multi-layer greenhouse insulation to safeguard crops.

To stabilize prices, markets have expanded vegetable supplies. Some people worry if this cold snap will surpass the 2008 winter, but experts say it will be shorter and weaker, and temperatures will rise by Friday.

For now, Shanghai residents are being reminded that snow may be fleeting, but cold is real.