Acording to an ecns.cn article, the extreme cold in the U.S. and Canada is causing many accidents. In the U.S., snow fell as far south as Florida, with temperatures dipping below 0 degrees Celsius. Similar weather condition prevailed in Canada. Nineteen extreme weather-related deaths were reported in the two countries. High winds and snow also caused power outages in Canada.
A cold wave in China and Nepal disrupts farming; on Monday, China's meteorological authority warned of a cold front in some central, southern and northeastern regions. "The temperature is expected to drop by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius in central, southern, and northeastern China, including parts of Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Yunnan.”
The severe cold wave has also destroyed a vast tract of farmland. "More than 45,000 acres of fruit trees, tea farms, as well as greenhouses for vegetables, have been damaged by freezing rains and snow," the Ministry of Agriculture said.
Australia, on the other hand, is experiencing one of the hottest summers on record, disrupting international sporting events. Last Sunday, temperatures soared to 47.3 degree Celsius in Penrith to become the second hottest day since 1939.
