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Arctic Blast: East Asia Faces Record Cold Snap

1/15/2026

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Summary

Story summary

A cold snap is expected in East Asia, with Beijing and Shanghai temperatures dropping by up to 20°C through January 21, 2026.
The Arctic air mass will raise heating demand as temperatures fall more than 10°C below normal.
January could be the coldest month since 2021.
The cold wave will hit northeastern China, then the Korean Peninsula and Japan, with cloud cover and Sea of Japan snowfall intensifying the cold.

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Story summary

A cold snap is expected in East Asia, with Beijing and Shanghai temperatures dropping by up to 20°C through January 21, 2026.
The Arctic air mass will raise heating demand as temperatures fall more than 10°C below normal.
January could be the coldest month since 2021.
The cold wave will hit northeastern China, then the Korean Peninsula and Japan, with cloud cover and Sea of Japan snowfall intensifying the cold.