Rare Triple-Dip La Nina Spurs Blast Of Cold Air In Asia While Russia Shifts Energy Shipments East

Weather officials warn that a rare triple-dip La Nina has sent parts of Northeast Asia into a deep freeze that will increase heating demand and push up fuel prices.

Across the Northern Hemisphere, the US, Europe, and parts of Northeast Asia are experiencing below-freezing temperatures.

The US National Centers for Environmental Prediction focused on China, Japan, and South Korea and reported below-average temperatures for those countries. This chill is similar to what Europe and parts of the US are currently feeling. 

Readers have been more than informed about the weather phenomenon known as La Nina wreaking havoc on the world. Last month, the World Meteorological Organization wrote that La Nina would result in lower-than-normal temperatures across the Northern Hemisphere. 

Bloomberg provided weather outlooks for China, Japan, and South Korea, the epicenter of global manufacturing, as these countries are plagued with cold weather in the weeks ahead:

China

China will see two cold snaps, according to forecasts from the China Meteorological Administration. The first — which will run from Tuesday through Thursday — is expected to bring temperatures as low as minus 36 Celsius in the Inner Mongolian city of Hulunbuir, while also pushing down the mercury in Beijing.

Another snap is predicted to sweep across most parts of central, east and northwest China from Thursday through Sunday. Southern parts of the country could see record-low temperatures for mid-December on Sunday, while dry and frigid weather will reduce rainfall, the administration said Monday. That will have an impact on agriculture, particularly livestock and greenhouse farming, as it increases heating costs. Fruits, vegetable crops and even aquaculture in some areas are vulnerable to frost damage, the National Meteorological Center said.

A sudden drop in temperatures caused electricity demand to surge in Guizhou province in southern China, forcing grid officials there to order some aluminum smelters to cut power use this week. On top of the freezing weather, nine Chinese provinces have also been whipped by sandstorms so far this week, which can hamper solar power generation. Elevated demand for heating fuels may not ease until around the Lunar New Year holidays in late January when factories power down for the holiday, Chinese consultant Fengkuang Logistics said in a note. Still, activity in many of China’s mega-cities has ground to a halt amid severe virus outbreaks.

Japan

It’s getting colder in northern Japan — with Asahikawa in Hokkaido possibly experiencing temperatures as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius next week, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Meanwhile, there’s a 40% chance eastern and western Japan will get below-normal temperatures from December through February, the JMA said.

Japan has been stocking up on LNG supply to prepare for the winter months, with inventories held by electricity producers well-above the five-year average. The government is also asking citizens to save power to the best of their abilities, and the governor of Tokyo has even advised people to wear turtleneck sweaters to stay warm.

South Korea

Cold-wave alerts have been issued for most parts of South Korea, including Seoul and Incheon, with heavy snow expected in the northern Chungcheong province this week, according to Korea Meteorological Administration.

Temperatures are dropping significantly, but the country has a 50% chance of seeing normal temperatures in January and February, the weather agency said. South Korea will use nuclear power and will optimize its maintenance schedule, while also making additional purchases of coal and LNG on spot markets, the energy ministry said in a statement.

Month ahead temperature forecasts via Bloomberg for China. 

Japan

South Korea

Cold weather on the other side of the world will mean Russia will have a buyer for its energy products while European Union bans imports of Russian crude and crude products and reduces natural gas intake. 

The crude shunned by Europe has been diverted to Asia via a flotilla of tankers. Bloomberg data shows a large majority of all crude shipped from Russian ports is headed to Asia. 

Despite all the Western sanctions to paralyze Moscow, Russian energy products still flow worldwide but have shifted mainly to Asia. 

And while climate alarmists blame every change in the Earth’s weather on man-made greenhouse gases … we must point out that even the  UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says, “El Nino and La Nina are naturally occurring climate patterns and humans have no direct ability to influence their onset, intensity or duration.” 

So perhaps all this extreme weather worldwide is the work of La Nina rather than man. This is an uncomfortable truth for all those who just attended COP27 in Egypt.