Beijing is undergoing its coldest December since records began in 1951, experiencing temperatures frequently dropping below -10C this month.
This follows a year of extremes, with Beijing registering its hottest ever June day just six months ago at over 40C.
China has encountered multiple waves of extremely cold weather this winter, with a Beijing weather observatory recording over 300 hours of below-freezing temperatures in under two weeks.
The cold snap has affected various provinces, leading to school closures and transportation challenges.
In Henan province, persistent cold weather has strained energy supplies, causing heating boilers to break down. Additionally, Beijing has grappled with significant snowfall.
Meanwhile, northern Japan has witnessed substantial snowfall, with alerts issued for heavy snow in some areas, including around a meter (39 inches) in Gifu and Hokkaido prefectures.
South Korea has experienced extreme temperature fluctuations, ranging from 16C to below -12C in recent weeks. The Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) reported this variance.
The cause of the cold snap is attributed to a weakening Polar Vortex, allowing cold air to move further south than usual. There is ongoing debate among scientists about the role of climate change in this phenomenon.