Warmest New Year's Day in Beijing for six decades

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Beijing's warmest New Year's Day in decades saw people flood outdoors on Wednesday, the first day of 2017.

According to the Beijing meteorological bureau, the capital's temperature was 12.8 C at about 2 pm on Wednesday, the warmest since 1951.

There have only been five times since 1951 that Beijing's first winter snowfall took place in the new year.

The warm weather on New Year's Day drew tens of thousands of people in Beijing outdoors.

About 20,000 people gathered at Tian'anmen Square to attend the flag-raising ceremony at 7:36 am.

"It is such a treasured experience to witness the solemn ceremony," said Li Yinghao, a 10-year-old boy from Heze, Shandong province.

Also on Wednesday, a group of 2,014 people climbed Badaling Great Wall to mark the New Year. Parks in Beijing were crowded with thousands of people, many with their elderly parents and children.

Sun Jisong, chief forecaster of the Beijing meteorological bureau, said that the temperature in Beijing was about eight degrees higher than average in the past three decades.

In the coming week, the capital is unlikely to welcome its first snow, he said.

Experts, however, warned people of the danger of getting sick as such warm weather results in dry air.

It is more likely people will catch cold or flu viruses in dry air, as many viruses that cause respiratory problems can float around more easily, said Wang Guangfa, director of the Respiratory Medicine Department of Peking University First Hospital.

Questions:

1. Beijing’s temperature on New Year’s Day was the warmest since what year?

2. How many people attended the flag-raising ceremony at Tian’anmen Square?

3. How many people climbed Badaling Great Wall to mark the New Year?

Answers:

1. 1951.

2. About 20,000.

3. 2,014.

About the broadcaster:

Anne Ruisi is an editor at China Daily online with more than 30 years of experience as a newspaper editor and reporter. She has worked at newspapers in the U.S., including The Birmingham News in Alabama and City Newspaper of Rochester, N.Y.