Weather has nothing to do with ‘doomsday’   

專家：“史上最冷”說法有誤 降溫無關“世界末日”

受冷空氣影響，中國大部近日驟降6～10℃。針對一些網友“史上最冷預示世界末日”的說法，中央氣象臺首席預報員張芳華20日在接受中新社記者采訪時表示，12月下旬天氣變冷是一個正常趨勢，與傳說中的“世界末日”無關。

Beijing (CNS) -- The freezing weather in most parts of China is a normal phenomenon, not an omen of "doomsday," an expert from the National Meteorological Center said Thursday.

A strong cold front penetrating into northern China will bring low temperatures and scattered snowfall over the next 48 hours, and on Sunday the region is expected to embrace the coldest day so far this winter, the central meteorological observatory has forecast.

That forecast aroused rumors that the cold weather is a prelude to "doomsday," which is scheduled for today.

Zhang Fanghua, chief forecaster at the center, said it is normal to see cold air movements in winter and that the cold spell has nothing to do with "doomsday" prophecies related to the Mayan calendar.

The weather is accordance with the winter solstice on the Chinese lunar calendar, Zhang added.