BEIJING (AFP)—Skating has been banned on the melting ice of Beijing’s lakes, trees are blossoming early and people are shedding their heavy clothes as China experiences its warmest winter on record.
The temperature in the capital hit 16 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday, far above the historical average of just below freezing for this time of year and the highest since records were first compiled in 1840.
The head of the Beijing Municipal Observatory, Guo Hu, said the record high was part of a consistent trend this winter, while state-run media reported similar phenomena across the country.
“In January and February, Beijing experienced its highest temperatures in 167 years,” Guo told AFP on Tuesday.
“Beijing has basically seen warmer winters from the late 1980s. This is due to the influence of global warming.”