La Nina hindering rainfall in South China

La Nina conditions in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean have contributed significantly to reduced rainfall across southern China this winter, meteorologists said.

The phenomenon, characterized by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures, is expected to persist through early-to-mid spring before weakening to a neutral state, according to the latest monitoring data from the National Climate Center of the China Meteorological Administration.

Since the onset of winter, southern China has experienced a sharp decline in precipitation, with most regions in provinces such as Jiangsu, Fujian, Guangdong, Yunnan and Hainan recording rainfall levels more than 80 percent below average. Nationwide, average precipitation has dropped by over 50 percent compared to normal levels, according to the administration.