Close to -30°C: Biting cold for Harbin's Ice Festival

While conditions remain mild across the UK and Ireland, transport yourself to somewhere more festive and seasonable, at Harbin’s Ice and Snow Festival.

This annual event in China’s Heilongjiang province is a sight that needs to be seen to be believed. As the largest ice and snow festival in the world, 20 million people travel to Harbin each year to see stunning ice sculptures.

The festival begins on December 20th, and runs for just over two months, until March 2024. Average temperatures in the region’s winter months are a chilly -16.8°C, although lows of around -25°C are not uncommon.

In fact, on opening day, temperatures are forecast to stay below -20°C throughout the entire day, dropping as low as -28°C overnight. Some snow showers are also possible.

In the days following, temperatures should lift a little, with highs nearer -10°C to -15°C by day the week after.

Multiple layers are a small price to pay for the largest ice sculptures in the world. Past years have seen life-sized trains, a sphinx, and even palaces. Almost 10,000 workers are needed to create and maintain the art.

The festival has taken place annually since 1985 with roots in Harbin's traditional ice lantern shows. This is a definite bucket list location for those who just love this season... and can stand the cold!