A key factor intensifying the cold is the "wind chill effect."

 Tourists visit the Summer Palace during strong winds in Beijing, China, February 6. 2025. /VCG

 A key factor intensifying the cold is the "wind chill effect." Experts explain that as wind speed increases, it accelerates body heat loss, making the air feel much colder than the actual temperature. If temperatures are above 0 degrees Celsius, a two-level wind increase can make it feel 3 to 5 degrees Celsius colder. Below zero, the perceived temperature can drop by 6 to 8 degrees Celsius with the same wind increase.

 Authorities have issued multiple weather warnings. Shanxi issued a high wind yellow alert on the morning of February 6. with gusts reaching level 8 in Datong, Shuozhou and Xinzhou. A dust storm blue alert followed in the afternoon, warning of blowing dust in Taiyuan, Yangquan and Jinzhong. Beijing recorded extreme winds with gusts of 19 to 21 meters per second, close to the record set of 21.9 m/s in 1994.

 Experts recommend securing outdoor decorations, billboards and temporary structures, while authorities should reinforce urban and forest fire prevention measures. Meteorologists note that strong winds, rather than snowfall, are the defining feature of this cold wave.