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The frequent occurrence of extreme cold waves under climate change has attracted widespread attention. Based on the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis daily dataset from 1958 to 2021, we use a newly developed dynamic metric, the local finite-amplitude wave activity (LWA), to explore the precursory signals, outburst conditions, and key dynamic features of extreme cold waves over eastern China from the perspective of synoptic climatology. The statistical results show that approximately 40% of extreme cold waves have the following features. First, the formation of significant positive LWA anomalies over the Balkhash–Baikal region is an evident precursory signal, which is accompanied by significant cold surface air temperature anomalies that accumulate over mid- and high-latitude Eurasia. Second, the appearance of extreme positive LWA anomalies over the region east of Lake Baikal (ELB) is necessary for subsequent outbursts of extreme cold waves. These extreme positive LWA anomalies indicate the meridionally enhanced planetary trough over East Asia and advection of the accumulated cold air masses southeastward to eastern China. Third, the evident positive change in the LWA anomalies over the ELB is mainly attributable to the convergence of the zonal LWA flux due to the zonal wind in the eddy-free state and Stokes drift flux over the eastern area of the ELB and the convergence of the meridional eddy heat flux over the western area. This study demonstrates that the LWA could be used as a simple and feasible metric for monitoring and forecasting extreme cold waves. Significance Statement: Enhanced waviness in circulation usually occurs before and during the outburst of extreme cold waves over eastern China. With a state-of-the-art diagnostic tool, the local finite-amplitude wave activity (LWA), the present study reveals both precursory signals and outburst conditions of these extreme cold events from the perspective of synoptic climatology. This study not only deepens our understanding of the dynamic process for extreme cold events over eastern China but also offers a method for monitoring and forecasting those extreme events. Our work also provides a method for studying other extreme climate events that are closely related to large-amplitude circulation waviness over the middle and high latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]