Guangzhou ushered in the new year with a sharp temperature drop, prompting the city's first orange cold weather warning of 2026. As of the latest update, the orange warning, indicating significant cold, has been issued for most districts across the city, excluding Haizhu, Liwan, Panyu, and Nansha Districts.
Temperatures plummeted on Friday, with minimum readings ranging from 7 to 11 °C, marking a decrease of 4 to 6 °C from the previous day. The cold spell is expected to persist over the coming days due to the continuous influx of cold air, with little chance of the noticeable warming observed after earlier cool downs.
According to the Guangzhou Meteorological Observatory, January 3 will be predominantly sunny. Affected by cold air and clear-sky radiation, morning lows are forecast to drop to 3 to 5 °C in northern areas (as low as -2 to 1 °C in mountainous regions, with possible frost or ice), 5 to 7 °C in central districts, and 7 to 9 °C in the south. From January 4 onward, Guangzhou will maintain sunny and dry conditions, with temperatures experiencing minor fluctuations.
Meteorologists remind residents that despite sunny days, the lack of cloud cover leads to rapid heat loss at night, a phenomenon known as clear-sky radiation, resulting in sharp temperature drops after sunset. The large diurnal temperature variation calls for appropriate layering of clothing to guard against the flu.
Across Guangdong, the cold air influence will bring mainly clear to cloudy weather in the coming days, accompanied by low temperatures and strong maritime winds. From January 3 to 4, extensive low temperatures are expected in the central and northern parts of the province.
January 3 - 4: Mostly clear skies province-wide, with significant day-night temperature differences and cold mornings and evenings. Minimum temperatures will range from 2 to 5 °C in northern Guangdong and northern Pearl River Delta cities (as low as -4 to 0 °C in high-altitude mountainous areas, with frost and ice possible), 10 to 14 °C in southwestern coastal cities, and 6 to 9 °C elsewhere.
January 5: Generally sunny to cloudy, with continued large temperature gaps and cold mornings. Lows will be 4 to 8 °C in northern and northern Pearl River Delta areas (-1 to 2 °C in high mountains, with frost and localized ice), 12 to 16 °C in southwestern coastal cities, and 9 to 11 °C in other regions.
Residents are advised to stay warm and monitor updates from local meteorological authorities.
Weather forecast for Guangzhou:
Author | Jiang Chang
Photo | Guangdong Weather, Guangzhou Weather, Nanfang Plus
Editor | Liu Lingzhi, James Campion, Shen He
