Beijing gripped in cold snap

 BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Beijing gripped in a cold snap is experiencing one of the coldest New Year periods in the local meteorological history, according to the municipal observatory¹ on Wednesday.

The observatory issued the yellow low-temperature weather alert on Tuesday afternoon. The warning is second only to red alert.

It forecast that the cold snap in accompany with powerful wind would drive down the lower temperature to minus 14 degrees Celsius² on Wednesday, approaching the extreme record of minus 16 degrees Celsius.

The temperature in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous³ Region to the north of Beijing has dropped to minus 40 degrees Celsius with snow on ground piling up 50 centimeters in some areas of the Greater Hinggan Mountains.

The rare winter cold caused frost on expressways in eastern Shandong Province, which has also issued yellow icy road alert. The provincial⁴ observatory said the cold snap is likely to linger till Friday.

1 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

2 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

3 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

4 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。