According to forecasts from the Central Meteorological Observatory, the central and eastern regions of China are once again experiencing a large-scale rain, snow, and freezing weather event. From February 20 to 22, southern North China, the Huang-Huai region, the Jiang-Huai region, the Jiang-Han region, northern and western Jiangnan, and Guizhou and other areas will successively see rain turning to snow or sleet. Parts of western and southern North China and the Huang-Huai region will experience heavy to blizzard conditions, with locally severe blizzards; the Jiang-Huai region and central and northern Jiangnan will see moderate to heavy rain, with local rainstorms. Parts of Henan, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, and other areas will successively experience freezing rain or ice pellets. In addition, southeastern Zhejiang and southeastern Guangdong will experience foggy weather, with local dense fog.

　　The Central Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow blizzard warning at 10:00 on February 20, forecasting that from February 20 to 21, parts of Henan, northern Anhui, western Hubei, and other areas will experience heavy to blizzard conditions, with local severe blizzards; from the 20th to the 23rd, parts of Anhui, Henan, Hubei, and other areas will experience freezing rain or ice pellets.

　　This large-scale rain, snow, and freezing process covers a wide area, involves complex precipitation types, and has a large freezing-rain footprint. As this coincides with the peak return-travel period of the Spring Festival rush, the risk of low-temperature rain, snow, and freezing disasters is relatively high. All departments are taking immediate action and adopting measures to prevent and mitigate disasters.

　　The Ministry of Emergency Management launched a Level IV emergency response for three provinces

　　At 12:00 on February 20, the Ministry of Emergency Management launched a Level IV emergency response to low-temperature rain, snow, and freezing disasters for Anhui, Henan, and Hubei. It required relevant regions to closely monitor weather changes, strengthen organizational leadership and overall coordination, give full play to the leading and coordinating role of disaster reduction committees or specialized command bodies, strengthen joint consultation, assessment, and departmental coordination, strengthen the pre-positioning and dispatch of rescue forces and materials, make advance preparations for disaster relief and assistance, and make every effort to respond to and handle sudden dangerous situations and disasters. The Office of the National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction, and Relief dispatched working groups to Henan, Anhui, and Hubei to assist and guide prevention and response efforts.

　　On the 20th, the Office of the National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction, and Relief and the Ministry of Emergency Management, together with the China Meteorological Administration, continued to organize joint consultations and conducted video scheduling with Hebei, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Shandong, Anhui, Hubei, and other provinces to make targeted deployments for prevention and response work in key areas.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs dispatched working groups and science and technology teams

　　At present, spring field management and spring plowing are progressively unfolding from south to north. This weather process features prolonged low temperatures and widespread impacts from heavy snowfall and freezing rain, and its affected areas highly overlap with those of the rain, snow, and freezing weather in early February, which may adversely affect current agricultural production. On the 20th, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs dispatched four working groups and 25 science and technology teams to key provinces including Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Henan, Jiangsu, and Anhui to guide local scientific prevention and response to this round of rain, snow, and freezing weather and to ensure that all measures are implemented effectively.

　　The working groups and science and technology teams will go deep into areas affected by low-temperature rain, snow, and freezing weather, investigate and understand the impacts of severe weather by crop and growth stage, scientifically assess disaster losses, and, together with local agriculture and rural affairs departments, improve technical guidance on preventing low-temperature rain, snow, and freezing disasters by region and crop. They will guide localities to promptly implement cold- and freeze-prevention measures such as clearing the "three ditches," removing frozen bolts and leaves, spraying foliar fertilizer, removing snow and reinforcing facilities, and windproofing and temperature-raising measures. The working groups and science and technology teams will stay at designated points and cover designated areas, entering villages and households to provide face-to-face on-site instruction, and will carry out guidance and training through various forms such as radio and television, online platforms, WeChat public accounts, and short videos, promptly understanding and helping resolve practical difficulties and problems.

The Traffic Management Bureau advises avoiding severe weather periods during Spring Festival return travel

　　The Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security issued a reminder to drivers: during Spring Festival return travel, try to avoid periods of severe weather. Before driving, learn about meteorological information in advance, plan travel routes scientifically, try to avoid periods and road sections affected by severe weather such as rain, snow, freezing, dense fog, and sandstorms, and avoid unnecessary delays. In rain, snow, and freezing weather, road surfaces are slippery; bridges in particular are prone to icing and skidding, so drive cautiously, increase following distance, reduce speed, turn the steering wheel slowly, brake gently, and reduce lane changes and overtaking. When heavy rain or snow, dense or patchy fog, or strong winds and sandstorms cause poor visibility, promptly reduce speed and turn on fog lights, low-beam headlights, clearance lights, and front and rear position lights. When visibility is less than 100 meters, also turn on hazard warning flashers; when visibility is less than 50 meters, enter a service area or leave the expressway via the nearest exit.