Beijing’s weather officials signalled on Monday that local temperatures will gradually rise after hitting historic lows over the past two weeks.

According to the state-backed Beijing Daily, temperatures in the capital finally rebounded to above zero degree Celsius on Sunday after staying below zero for over 300 hours, or nearly 14 days, since December 11.

That marked the longest period of sub-zero temperatures in the capital in December in 72 years since records began in 1951. The capital last saw such a long period of low temperatures in 1966 when temperatures stayed below zero for 10 consecutive days.

During this year's cold spell, Beijing has also endured nine consecutive days of temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius, the Beijing Daily added.

However, the blizzards didn’t put off winter swimming enthusiasts as some groups carved out an area of a frozen lake and dove in for a splash.

The chilly snap came as biting cold air flowed down from the Arctic, bringing wintry conditions across northern and northeastern parts of the country. Temperatures in northeastern Dongbei province, for example, plummeted as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius.

Some areas, notably Henan province, faced a severe heating supply crunch as hot boilers malfunctioned when demand spiked under the extreme weather. Some cities in Henan and neighbouring Hebei were in urgent need of heating supplies.

The National Meteorological Centre says relief is coming, with temperatures in Beijing and nearby areas rising to between four and 10 degrees Celsius on Monday. It says most central northern provinces will see temperatures rise above freezing.

The national weather forecaster also noted that some northern regions would see worsened smog as a result of the cold air.