As Beijing residents brace themselves for the arrival of the harsh winter, the city has finally announced when the central heating will be switched on.
Following testing of the system which began on October 28, the capital’s central heating will be on from Saturday, November 6 onwards.
Beijing Party Secretary Caiqi and Beijing Mayor Chen Jining carried out a final inspection of the system, as reported by SINA.
The news will be welcomed among many of the city’s residents. The Beijing Meteorological Bureau stated that cold air will hit Beijing on November 6 and 7; on November 7, temperatures in the plateau areas of Beijing are expected to be around two degrees Celsius during the daytime and around minus 4 degree Celsius at nighttime.
January is usually Beijing’s coldest month, with average temperatures between two and minus eight degrees Celsius from 1985 to 2015, according to timeanddate.com.
Beijing, along with other parts of northern China, enjoys central heating free of charge during the winter months. Areas of southern China such as Shanghai, Guangdong and elsewhere, don’t get free central heating, a national division which dates back to the years of central planning.
READ MORE: Explainer: Why Beijing Gets Central Heating Yet the South is Left in the Cold
While many may loathe the arrival of the cold, there are also a lot of positives of being in the Chinese capital during the winter. Think of ice-skating at Shichahai, as well as skiing and snowboarding at Nanshan, etc.
Moreover, you can rest safe in the knowledge that when you get to your home or office, you’ll feel the warmth of central heating without spending a penny. Except in taxes, of course.
[Cover image via Pixabay]
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