Heavy snowfall hits northern Xinjiang, fog and smog sweep north-central regions

Heavy snowfall hit northern part of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in China's far west on Sunday, blanketing areas including the Ili River Valley, Tacheng, and Altay, according to the National Meteorological Center. Northern Altay recorded up to 56.6 millimeters of precipitation, with snow accumulations ranging from 5 to 10 centimeters in certain locations.

The meteorological center forecasts continued snowfall across northern and southwestern Xinjiang through Thursday, with total accumulations expected to reach 15 to 40 millimeters, and up to 70 millimeters in some areas, potentially bringing new snow depths of up to 80 centimeters. Authorities have urged residents to clear snow from rooftops and roads, warning of low visibility and slippery conditions for travelers.

The current weather system is expected to spread snowfall across northern Xinjiang, parts of Tibet's northern region, southeastern Qinghai, southern Gansu, northeastern Inner Mongolia, and Heilongjiang on Monday.

Meanwhile, dense fog blanketed areas in central and southern North China, as well as the Yellow and Huaihe River regions early Monday, with visibility in some parts of Shandong, Henan, and Jiangsu provinces dropping below 200 meters. The fog is forecasted to persist into Tuesday morning across parts of southern Hebei, Shandong, eastern Henan, Jiangsu, and northern Anhui, with light to moderate smog expected in central and southern North China and parts of the Yellow and Huaihe River areas. Improved air quality is expected by mid-week, as precipitation and a cold front move into the area.

Officials have advised residents to take precautions against the poor air quality, including limiting outdoor activities.

In the South China Sea, Typhoon Yinxing, the year's 22nd typhoon, weakened to a tropical storm early Monday and is expected to continue weakening as it moves southwest towards Vietnam's southern coast. Meanwhile, the 23rd typhoon, Typhoon Toraji, intensified from a severe tropical storm into a typhoon on Sunday night. After making landfall on Luzon's eastern coast in the Philippines on Monday, Toraji is projected to move into the eastern South China Sea and toward western Guangdong and Hainan with decreasing strength.

Strong wind gusts are expected in the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and along the Fujian and Guangdong coasts, under the combined influence of Typhoons Yinxing and Toraji and incoming cold air. The China Meteorological Administration issued a blue alert for Typhoon Toraji on Monday.