{"status":200,"article":{"content":"<div id=\"readability-page-1\" class=\"page\"><div width=\"compact\"><article><header></header><div data-component=\"image-block\"><figure><p><span><picture><source srcset=\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg.webp 240w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg.webp 320w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg.webp 480w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg.webp 624w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg.webp 800w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg.webp 976w\" type=\"image/webp\"><img alt=\"Tourists at 'China's North Pole'\" srcset=\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg 240w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg 320w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg 480w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg 624w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg 800w, https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg 976w\" src=\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/14558/production/_128388238_gettyimages-1068582990-594x594.jpg\" width=\"976\" height=\"549\" loading=\"eager\"></picture></span><span role=\"text\"><span>Image source, </span>Future Publishing/Getty Images</span></p><figcaption><span>Image caption, </span><p>As Mohe is China's northernmost city, it is often nicknamed 'China's North Pole'</p></figcaption></figure></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p><b>China's northernmost city, Mohe, has recorded its lowest temperature since records began.  </b></p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>Mohe - known as \"China's North Pole\" - is in the province of Heilongjiang, close to the Russian border.</p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>On Sunday, its local meteorological station recorded a record-low temperature of -53C (-63F) at 7am. The previous coldest temperature on record in the city was -52.3C, in 1969. </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>However, the temperature is probably still shy of China's national record.</p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>The coldest temperature ever recorded in China is -58C, in the city of Genhe, Inner Mongolia in December 2009, according to media reports of a visit by <a href=\"http://news.china.com.cn/2021-02/19/content_77227410.htm\">government meteorologists.</a></p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>Other records, however, have the 1969 cold snap in Mohe as the lowest - meaning Sunday's -53C temperature could be China's lowest ever.</p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>By contrast, the lowest temperature recorded in the UK is -27.2C, set in different parts of Scotland <a href=\"https://blog.metoffice.gov.uk/2022/02/11/127-years-since-uks-joint-lowest-temperature-will-we-see-it-again\">in 1895, 1982 and 1995.</a></p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>Mohe is no stranger to cold weather: China Daily says the city is regarded as the coldest  in China, and that its winter period <a href=\"https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202010/28/WS5f9916a6a31024ad0ba819ee.html\">\"usually lasts eight months\"</a>. </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>As a result, it attracts tourists throughout the year with its \"North Pole\", ice and snow parks, and skiing venues. In previous years, it has also hosted <a href=\"https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1174864.shtml\">winter marathons</a>.  </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>This time of year, it is common for the city to see average temperatures of -15C.  </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>In the past week, <a href=\"http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202301/23/WS63ce418da31057c47ebab1cd.html\">China's meteorological authority issued alerts</a> for plunging temperatures and cold winds in the region. </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>The Xinhua News Agency said a number of areas in the Greater Khingan mountain range, which spans Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang, saw new record low temperatures over the weekend.  </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>Since Friday, temperatures dipped below -50C in Mohe for three consecutive days, which outlets have said is unprecedented.  </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>Beijing News reported on Friday that coal consumption has increased by a third in the city, as the cold weather bites.  </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>Car companies also told the paper they had taken advantage of the cold to test the braking performance of vehicles.  </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>One resident told Kanji Video that his hands had been numb within 10 seconds of stepping outdoors, but that he had seen very few other people around.  </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>\"It becomes hazy about 100m in front of you, you can't see anyone,\" he said.</p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>A tourist, surnamed Li, told Beijing News that he had made a special trip from China's southernmost province, Guangdong, to experience the extreme weather. </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>\"I didn't expect it to get below -50C this year, it was quite a surprise,\" he told the paper. </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>Meanwhile, the official broadcaster, CCTV, showed a journalist breaking an egg on an outdoor surface - causing the egg to freeze within seconds.  </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>More generally, the media are paying tribute to essential workers - including police officers, firefighters, soldiers and street cleaners - who are continuing to work outdoors during the cold. </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>China has seen record temperatures over the past year, for heat as well as cold. </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>Earlier this month, the <a href=\"https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202301/09/WS63bbd8f4a31057c47eba8877.html\">Xinhua news agency</a> said that the country had recorded the hottest summer and autumn in 60 years, with multiple cities breaking records. </p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p>Climate change increases the likelihood of extreme weather generally - and while scientists agree global temperatures are rising, that doesn't mean we will stop having periods of very cold weather.</p></div><div data-component=\"text-block\"><p><i><b>Follow Kerry on Twitter: </b></i><a href=\"https://twitter.com/kerrya11en\">@kerrya11en</a></p></div><div data-component=\"image-block\"><figure><p><span><span></span></span><span role=\"text\"><span>Image source, </span>CCTV</span></p><figcaption><span>Image caption, </span><p>Chinese audiences have watched a cracked egg freeze within seconds on state TV</p></figcaption></figure></div><section data-component=\"links-block\"><p><h2>More on this story</h2></p></section></article></div></div>"},"_note":"Response truncated for documentation purposes"}