Weather has nothing to do with ‘doomsday’   

专家：“史上最冷”说法有误 降温无关“世界末日”

受冷空气影响，中国大部近日骤降6～10℃。针对一些网友“史上最冷预示世界末日”的说法，中央气象台首席预报员张芳华20日在接受中新社记者采访时表示，12月下旬天气变冷是一个正常趋势，与传说中的“世界末日”无关。

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.