Beijing set for Friday’s snowfall as cold-wave alert drives municipal preparations; Palace Museum ticket demands surge

After forecasts indicated that Beijing will see citywide snowfall, the topic of "the capital city welcomes its first snow of winter 2025" is trending on Chinese social media. Netizens noted that Palace Museum tickets were quickly booked out after the forecast, as many visitors hope to enjoy the site's famed snow-covered scenery.

Forecasts indicate that Beijing will see citywide snowfall on Friday, with mountainous and southern areas likely to experience moderate snowfall. Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing throughout the day, and the snowfall should taper off early Saturday morning, local media reported.

The forecasted snowfall has also fueled interest in the Palace Museum, with searches and discussions about "Palace Museum tickets booked out on Saturday morning" surging on social media.

The Palace Museum's reservation portal indicates that all tickets for both Friday and Saturday have been fully booked, with no remaining slots available.

According to the official WeChat account of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Management, all districts have made advance arrangements to improve and refine the snow-clearing and ice-removal response mechanisms, and have organized personnel and equipment for snow- and ice-removal work to ensure safe and convenient travel for residents and maintain a clean and orderly city environment.

China Weather TV Channel analyst Xin Xin said on social media that there is no doubt Beijing will see snowfall, mainly occurring from Friday afternoon to evening.