The first cold wave of 2024 is about to hit, please check the disease prevention and frost prevention guidelines!

01 Rainfall continues in Jiangnan and other places today, and the first cold wave in 2024 is ready to hit

Yesterday, light to moderate snow or sleet occurred in Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Henan and other places, and significant rainfall occurred in Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi and other places. It is expected that today, heavy snowfall will mainly occur in the central and eastern Inner Mongolia, with light snow in Hohhot; rainfall will continue in the south, with the rain belt stretching from northern Guangxi to the Yangtze River Delta region, with moderate to heavy rain in general and heavy rain in some areas. The first cold wave in 2024 is also ready to go. It is expected that from the 20th to the 23rd, the cold wave will bring a sharp drop in temperature to the central and eastern parts of the country, and after penetrating into the south, it will also bring large-scale heavy snowfall.

It is expected that from today to night, parts of central Inner Mongolia, western Liaoning, Xinjiang along the Tianshan Mountains, Hexi in Gansu, northern and southern Shaanxi, Shanxi, western Henan, eastern Shandong, northern Anhui, northern Hubei, etc. will have light snow or sleet, among which parts of central Inner Mongolia, northern Shaanxi, northern Hebei, etc. will have moderate to heavy snow (5-9 mm). Parts of western Jianghuai, most of Jiangnan, southeastern Southwest China, northern South China, etc. will have moderate to heavy rain, among which parts of northern Guangxi, etc. will have local torrential rain.

Tomorrow, the rain and snow will weaken temporarily, and most of the south will be cloudy and rainy. On the 21st, the south will enter a blizzard mode, with heavy to heavy snow in parts of the eastern Sichuan Plateau, southwestern Hubei, northwestern Hunan, eastern Chongqing, northeastern Guizhou, and other places, and local heavy snow.

Meteorological experts warn that in the next week, there will be frequent rain and snow in the central and eastern regions, and the temperature will fluctuate greatly. Even South China, which has rarely been favored by cold air, will experience a sharp drop in temperature. The temperature in Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian will drop below 10°C, and the lowest temperature in the Nanling area will drop to freezing point.

02 Emergency Guidelines Before and After the Cold Wave

The public is reminded to take measures to protect against wind and keep warm. Large-scale snowfall in the south is very unfavorable for transportation, and the public is advised to try to avoid traveling during the affected periods.

Before the cold wave arrives:

1. Pay attention to weather warning forecasts and traffic information such as highway closures and airport delays, and adjust travel plans in a timely manner.

2. Be prepared for cold weather and keep warm, and store enough food and water.

3. Move from dangerous or unstable buildings to a safe area.

When cold waves, rain and snow come:

1. When traveling in windy weather, you need to be careful to prevent falling objects from high altitudes, properly place outdoor items that are easily affected by strong winds, and outdoor workers need to pay attention to safety.

2. Maintain indoor temperature: To maintain a suitable temperature indoors, you can increase the indoor temperature by turning on air conditioning, electric heaters and other equipment.

3. Wear more clothes to keep warm, especially the head, hands, feet and other parts that are easily affected by cold. Wear warm items such as hats, gloves and scarves when going out.

4. Proper travel arrangements: When a cold wave hits, try to avoid going out, especially for the elderly, children and the weak. If you must travel, choose appropriate means of transportation and routes to avoid driving in bad weather.

5. The safe braking distance in snowy weather is longer, so the driver should keep a distance of 2 to 3 times the normal distance from the vehicle in front. If the vehicle is trapped by a snowstorm, try to stay in the car and call for help.

6. Pay attention to food hygiene, try to avoid eating raw and cold food, and eat more warm food.

7. Take good health protection, keep indoor air circulating, pay attention to personal hygiene, and prevent the occurrence of respiratory infectious diseases. If you feel unwell, seek medical attention in time.

8. Use heating equipment correctly. If you use coal for heating, keep the room ventilated to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

Experts remind the public to pay attention to forecast and warning information in a timely manner, and be careful to prevent adverse effects on transportation caused by snow and snow, such as snow accumulation and road icing. At the same time, freezing rain and wet snow may cause snow accumulation or weak ice on power or communication lines, and relevant departments are advised to strengthen the inspection, maintenance and reinforcement of lines and facilities.

In addition, experts remind you to be careful of the following "cold wave diseases" in cold weather!

03 Beware of "cold wave disease"

1. Respiratory tract infections. Respiratory tract infections are the most common diseases after a sudden drop in temperature. In addition to influenza and various viral and bacterial colds, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc. all fall into this category. Therefore, when the weather is cold, you should keep warm, add more clothes when going out, remember to wear masks and scarves, etc. At the same time, you should drink more water and eat more vegetables and fruits.

2. Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Yan Biqing, director of the ICU and emergency department of the Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University Medical College, said that when the temperature drops, people's blood vessels will contract, leading to high blood pressure, which can easily cause myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accidents, etc. Therefore, when the weather is cold, patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases should pay attention to monitoring blood pressure, taking medicine on time, and regular follow-up visits; if they experience symptoms such as chest tightness, chest pain, headache, dizziness, dyspnea, palpitations, fatigue, ankle edema, etc., they should seek medical attention in time.

3. Skin frostbite. Wang Ping, director of the Second Department of Dermatology at Hangzhou Third People's Hospital, reminds that in extremely cold weather, we must be careful to prevent skin frostbite, especially the limbs and face, which are exposed to the outside. This kind of injury can damage the skin at the least and the subcutaneous tissue at the worst, and may even damage the muscles, tendons, periosteum and nerves. Frostbite is mainly manifested by cold, pale, hard, numb or loss of sensation in the frozen part at the beginning. If these symptoms occur, warm compresses should be applied as soon as possible, but avoid soaking in overheated water.

It is worth noting that the groups that are more "favored" by "cold wave disease" include the elderly, pregnant women, infants and young children, outdoor workers, and people with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and respiratory diseases. Therefore, these people should be more vigilant in winter.

Comprehensive sources: China Meteorological Administration, Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily Science and Technology, etc.