China's meteorological authorities were unable to accurately forecast the recent weather condition owing to lack of facilities and adequate forecast models.
"We underestimated the duration and severity of the weather and failed to pre-evaluate its impact on transport and the power sector," China Daily quoted China Meteorological Administration (CMA) spokeswoman Jiao Meiyan as saying.
The CMA had forecast all five rain and snowstorms between Jan 10 and Feb 5 two to five days in advance. But it failed to warn the public of the extreme danger of the storms.
"One reason why the weather department could not make precise forecasts is because many of the places most affected were located in mountainous areas where meteorological monitors are in short supply," Duan Yihong, deputy director of the National Meteorological Center, told China Daily.
"Another major problem is that China's numerical weather forecasts still fall far behind world standards."
Numerical weather forecasts, based on calculations by high-performance computers, are vital to modern weather bulletins. China began to develop its own numerical forecast model less than 10 years.
There is a 10-year gap between the Chinese model and advanced foreign models, Duan said.
The freak weather also made it a huge challenge for Chinese meteorologists.
"It was increasingly difficult to forecast as low-probability extreme weather is occurring more frequently," Qiao Lin, chief weather forecaster of the Central Meteorological Station, said.
To enhance the country's capability against extreme weather, China will begin to establish a monitoring and warning system, according to the official.
Source: Xinhua
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