Is the Northeast blizzard related to the "snow typhoon"? Experts: This statement is unscientific!

Meteorological monitoring data shows

Affected by the cold wave

8:00 a.m. on November 22 to 6:00 a.m. on November 23

Heavy to severe snowfall in central and eastern Heilongjiang Province

Heavy snowstorm in some areas

As of 6:00 on the 23rd

The snow depth in Jiamusi and Shuangyashan reached 42 cm in some areas

On November 22, citizens walked through the snow in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province. Photo by Lv Guojun

A taxi was driving on the streets of Hegang City, Heilongjiang Province, in a snowstorm on November 22. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Jianfei

At 21:00 on November 21, snow fell from south to north in Fenglin County, Heilongjiang Province. As of 8:00 on the 23rd, the cumulative snowfall was 19 mm and the snow depth was 36 cm. The picture shows the meteorological staff measuring the snow depth. Photo by Wang Chao

In the past two days, there is a popular saying on the Internet: "Snow typhoon is forming, and blizzards are reappearing in Northeast China." So, what is a "snow typhoon"? How is it similar to and different from a typhoon? What kind of weather process is it actually? Let's listen to the answer from Fang Chong, chief forecaster of the Central Meteorological Observatory.

Fang Chong said that from a professional perspective, there is no such thing as a "snow typhoon". Using the term "snow typhoon" only sees a superficial appearance, but not the inner essence. From the appearance, the weather system that caused the two northeastern snowstorms is a large counterclockwise rotating vortex, which is indeed slightly similar to a typhoon, but in fact, from the perspective of formation reasons and organizational structure, the two are completely different.

In fact, this vortex is a frontal cyclone. Inside the cyclone, the contrast between cold and warm is very clear. The reason for snowfall is the intersection of cold and warm air. Frontal cyclones are generally cold center structures. Typhoons are warm center structures. There is no distinction between warm air and cold air in the lower layers. It is a warm center structure. In addition, typhoons are formed on tropical oceans. Generally, when they move northward, we sometimes say that they transform into temperate cyclones when they reach the northeast. Why do we say that they transform? It is because their warm center structure is destroyed.

True color monitoring image of FY-4A meteorological satellite. Processed by Gao Yang and Han Bowei

Therefore, the frontal cyclone that causes the northeast blizzard is completely different from the organizational structure of the typhoon, so it is inaccurate to call it a "snow typhoon."

At present, this frontal cyclone is moving northeastward, and its impact on the Northeast region has ended. The scope of snowfall is gradually decreasing and the intensity is weakening. This morning, the Central Meteorological Observatory lifted the blue warning for heavy snow.

However, it is expected that in the next two days, parts of eastern Heilongjiang, the Altay Mountains in Xinjiang, eastern Tibet, the southern part of the western Sichuan Plateau and other places will have moderate to heavy snow, with local blizzards.

Slippery roads in snowy weather

In addition, there was more snow in the early

Also pay attention to travel safety

Produced by China Meteorological News Agency

Source: CCTV News Central Meteorological Observatory

Editor: Wang Meili

Review: Duan Haoshu