Bitter cold is now sweeping across the nation. While north China has long been buried under deep snow, flakes are starting to blanket the country's south. Paul Crowe tells us more about the weather in Beijing and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, two of the most affected areas.

The capital is enduring its lowest temperatures for mid-December in a decade as the cold weather arrives half a month earlier than usual. The mercury fell to below minus 10.8 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, a record for the day in history.

China's north Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is experiencing rougher weather.

Snow is as deep as one and a half meters on the 304 National Highway. Continued wind and low temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius have frozen the whole route.