This is Not Snow

Beijingers are excited over the city's first snowfall yesterday that made its way into parts of Haidian District. Except it wasn’t the first snowfall, there wasn’t enough to make it count, which leaves everyone still waiting for some sign of winter, other than bone-chilling cold.

Reports of some flurries are being mentioned through the news about a little dusting that took place out to the west of the city. China Daily reports that “The snow mainly fell in Changping district, Mentougou district, and the western part of the city center” where it made its way into Haidian District.

Those that are happy to proclaim Beijing’s first snow will have to wait as “the snow this time was so light and isolated, unlike the usual first snow in the city, that Cui [a reporter at the Beijing Meteorological Station] said it is unlikely to be declared the first snow this winter.”

With Beijing still awaiting its first official snow, this winter is now the driest in the city’s recorded history. Xinhua announced “Beijing will witness the latest arrival of snow in 22 years as the previous record of late-arriving snowfall being on Dec. 28, 1988.”

Not only is the winter snowless but Beijing is in a 12 year drought and has not seen any sign of precipitation in two months.

In the China Daily report, Cui said Beijing is likely to get more snow, heavier than yesterday’s, in the following week.