Temperature records tumble as polar vortex and ice storm sweep across eastern Asia

An unusually cold weather front swept across much of eastern Asia, bringing with it heavy snow, freezing fog and record low temperatures. All-time lows were recorded at 24 weather stations around China over the weekend (22 to 24 January). Hebei Province, in the north of the country, saw the mercury plummet to minus 41C (–43F).