Mountain observers out in the cold – but for the greater good
Beijing: While much of China basks in the sunshine and warmth of spring, Jiao Xiangzhao, a weather observer in Jilin province, still faces wintry conditions.
Jiao heads a team of seven working at a meteorological observatory perched atop the main peak of Changbai Mountain, on the border with North Korea.
With an altitude of 2,623m, the 60yearold observatory faces some of the most brutal weather in China.
For more than 280 days a year, the observatory is battered by galeforce winds that can sometimes reach 140kph.
The temperature is below freezing for most of the year, and can be as low as 40°C in winter.
Two or three observers live in the observatory for each shift, collect ing and uploading data such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind speed and direction, humidity and visibility.
There’s also a lot of outdoor work, but for observers, every trip outside is an adventure.
“With the fierce wind, disorienting fog and heavy snow, one can easily lose one’s bearings,” said Cheng Kun, who worked at the observatory two years ago.
But despite the brutality of the working conditions, observers on the mountain have maintained a high level of morale.
“The work can be tedious, but the data put together can be of great value to climate research,” said Deng Yuanbo, 26, who has been working at the observatory since 2015. — Xinhua