In response to an unexpected early cold snap, the Beijing Commission of Urban Management has mandated that all heating service providers complete essential preparations by October 31. These include system pressurization, water filling, cold-run debugging, and household inspections to ensure centralized heating systems are operational by November 1. The commission has intensified its collaboration with the Beijing Meteorological Observatory since mid-October to monitor the unusually cold weather. The city will rely on meteorological data to determine the precise timing for activating heating systems, adhering to established protocols. Approximately 1.07 billion square meters of urban areas in Beijing will benefit from centralized heating, with 701 million square meters allocated for residential use and 369 million square meters for nonresidential purposes. This year, Beijing has addressed over 950 potential hazards, upgraded around 1,300 kilometers of outdated heating pipelines, and implemented smart retrofitting for heating systems in 30 million square meters of existing buildings. On October 22, the city recorded its first sub-zero temperature of the autumn. Zhao Wei, the chief forecaster, described the cold wave as ‘seeping,’ with successive waves of cold air preventing a quick temperature rebound. While temperatures are expected to rise gradually, minor fluctuations may occur due to weak cold air movements later in the month.