In 2004, for the period January to early June, Eastern part of Inner Mongolia （内蒙古）and western part of Northeast China had very little precipitation (snow), 50% to 80% less than the historical average at the same period,with total precipitation less than 100 mm. The average regional precipitation was the least since 1951, causing the most severe drought in the region for the past 50 years. Most parts of South China had seen continuous less precipitation since autumn. This was the least amount since 1951,averaging regional precipitation of some provinces in South China and the regions along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in September and October was as low as 98 mm, .At the beginning of November, the drought-afflicted area expanded to almost the entire region of South China and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The areas were affected by drought and very heavy drought, such as Guangxi, most of Guangdong, Hainan, southwestern Fujian, southern part of Hunan, eastern part of Hubei, most of Jiangxi, central and southern parts of Jiangsu and Anhui and northern part of Zhejiang.