WATCH: China’s Rare October Snowstorm Shocks Millions: From Golden Autumn to Frozen World, DisasterScope Oct 2 report
ANOTHER sudden hydro meteorological event in 2025
Transcripts here for readers writers and researchers
Related DW print news article: https://www.dw.com/en/chinas-first-snowstorm-of-winter-arrives-early-in-pictures/g-59746586
TRANSCRIPT: 0:19
full English version. As October began,
0:22
while much of the northern hemisphere
0:23
was still wrapped in golden leaves and
0:25
autumn colors, Western China was
0:27
suddenly hit by extreme weather during
0:29
the National Day holiday, regions in
0:31
Shing Jang, Shing Hai, and Tibet were
0:33
slammed by a rare blizzard that shut
0:35
down transportation, stranded tourists,
0:38
and instantly transformed the fall
0:40
scenery into a frozen world.
0:53
[Music]
1:03
In Zingerang's vast Alte region, what
1:05
should have been a cool autumn rain
1:07
suddenly turned into a fierce snowstorm
1:09
around 2:30 p.m. On September the 30th,
1:12
a tourist from Shani recorded the moment
1:14
rain turned to heavy snow while driving
1:16
along the Aha Highway. In the video,
1:18
thick flakes poured down, quickly
1:20
blanketing the road as the sky turned
1:22
blinding white. She could be heard
1:24
exclaiming, "I can't see anything around
1:26
me. This is the first time I've ever
1:28
seen snow like this.
1:37
[Music]
1:47
[Music]
1:50
As night fell, the situation grew worse.
1:52
Hundreds of cars were stuck in a massive
1:54
traffic jam on the Ahar highway. Snow
1:56
blows worked non-stop, but the heavy
1:58
drifts slowed rescue efforts. Falling
2:01
temperatures turned the road into ice,
2:03
leading to multiple collisions. While
2:05
waiting for help, her car was hit twice.
2:07
It wasn't until around 200 a.m. on
2:09
October the 1st that she finally made it
2:11
back to a hotel in Alte City, shaken but
2:13
grateful to be safe.
2:27
Police later announced that the Ahar
2:29
highway would be completely closed and
2:31
confirmed that all stranded passengers
2:33
had been evacuated. Still, thousands of
2:35
private cars remain stuck, awaiting
2:37
towing. Authorities said the road would
2:39
likely not reopen until October the 3rd.
2:42
Once the weather cleared, the news
2:43
rattled many travelers as this route is
2:45
the main access to Hemu and Canas, two
2:48
of Zingerangs most famous attractions.
2:55
[Music]
3:07
Meanwhile, in the Cana's scenic area,
3:10
the heavy snow turned mountains,
3:12
meadows, and turquoise lakes into a
3:14
fairy tale world. Video clips showed the
3:16
iconic fish watching platform steps
3:18
buried under deep snow, forcing
3:20
authorities to close several
3:22
attractions. The snow started in the
3:24
morning and barely stopped, said one
3:26
staff member. The view is stunning, but
3:28
traveling here has become extremely
3:30
difficult. Tybert's Namso Lake was also
3:32
blanketed by snow, sitting at over
3:34
15,400 ft. The sacred high altitude lake
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welcomed crowds of tourists on the first
3:40
day of the holiday, but the swirling
3:41
snow and bitter cold made conditions
3:43
risky. The deep blue water against the
3:45
white snow created a dreamlike scene.
3:48
But icy roads and biting winds left many
3:50
visitors uneasy
4:01
[Applause]
4:09
[Music]
4:11
in Ching Hai. The famous Ryu mountain
4:13
was hit by a blizzard overnight. By
4:15
morning, the entire range was covered in
4:18
white, drawing crowds of tourists who
4:20
stopped to take pictures on National
4:21
Day. A college student from Nanjing,
4:24
seeing snow for the first time,
4:26
exclaimed, "It's breathtaking, like
4:28
stepping into a fairy tale." However,
4:30
local authorities warned that the surge
4:32
of visitors on icy mountain roads posed
4:34
serious traffic and safety risks.
4:56
Even in Halen, a city in northeastern
4:59
Halen Jan, the season's first snow
5:01
arrived early. The brilliant autumn
5:03
foliage that should have been at its
5:05
peak was instead buried under white
5:06
overnight, making fall vanish as winter
5:09
arrived ahead of schedule. China's
5:11
weather bureau quickly issued a string
5:12
of warnings covering strong winds,
5:14
blizzards, icy roads, and geological
5:17
hazards. Shing Jang alone saw
5:19
backto-back alerts for cold air, snow,
5:21
and gales. Experts noted that areas
5:23
above 1,500 m were widely experiencing
5:26
rain turning into snow, raising the
5:28
risks of landslides and mudslides. In
5:31
some regions, winds could reach force 12
5:33
or 13 on the Bowford scale, accompanied
5:36
by dust storms.
6:10
Authorities urged residents to limit
6:12
travel, stock up on winter supplies, and
6:14
avoid mountain routes such as the Duku
6:16
Highway and the already closed Ahar
6:18
Highway. Northern cities were told to
6:20
start heating systems earlier than
6:22
usual, while remote farming regions were
6:24
instructed to take urgent steps to
6:26
protect crops from frost damage. What
6:28
shocked the public wasn't just the snow
6:30
itself, but its timing. Normally,
6:33
blizzards in western and northern China
6:34
don't arrive until November or December.
6:37
But this year on October the 1st, the
6:39
very start of the holiday, entire
6:41
provinces from Shinjang, Ching Hai, and
6:43
Tibet to Halumjan were already buried in
6:46
snow as if winter had arrived months
6:48
early.
7:16
[Music]
7:17
[Applause]
7:31
Social media has been flooded with
7:33
thousands of photos and videos.
7:35
Mountains as white as glasses. Lakes
7:37
glittering beneath snow. Highways
7:39
completely swallowed. Reactions have
7:41
been polarizing. Some called it like
7:43
stepping into a wonderland while others
7:46
stuck and desperate described fear and
7:48
frustration. The sudden storm
7:49
highlighted not only nature's beauty but
7:52
also its danger and destructive force.
8:05
[Music]
8:21
As millions set out on holiday trips,
8:23
the extreme weather threw countless
8:25
plans into chaos. Popular destinations
8:27
were instantly transformed from vacation
8:29
getaways into hazardous zones. Rescue
8:31
teams have been working around the clock
8:32
to pull stranded travelers to safety and
8:34
restore order on the roads. In just one
8:36
night, western and northern China were
8:38
draped in winter's cloak. For many, it
8:40
was a breathtaking spectacle. But for
8:42
local governments and residents, it was
8:44
also a test. The early arrival of heavy
8:46
snow could mean an even harsher winter
8:48
ahead.
9:18
Heat.
***
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