page_title: 2008 Chinese winter storms
section_title: Transportation
hierarchical_section_title: 2008 Chinese winter storms / Effects / Transportation
caption_attribution_description: 中文: 2008年1月大雪後的耒阳市市郊English: Countryside of Leiyang during 2008 Chinese winter storms.
context_page_description: The 2008 Chinese winter storms were a series of winter storm events that affected large portions of southern and central China, where usually do not snow severely or extensively, starting on 25 January 2008 until 6 February 2008. The systems affected most of the area with heavy snows, ice and cold temperatures causing extensive damage and transportation disruption for several thousand travelers. It became China's worst winter weather in half a century. According to some media sources the storms were directly responsible for at least 129 deaths.
context_section_description: Transportation was also heavily affected as the storms hit during the busiest travelling season of the year, Chunyun preceding the Lunar New Year. Nearly 180 million people, more than the population of Russia, travel throughout the country during the holiday. According to Xinhua, in early February, millions of Chinese are travelling from the major cities to the countryside to celebrate the Spring Festival, a traditional celebration where the Chinese people return to their families, which falls on 7 February this year.
caption: Snowstorm in Leiyang
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