China Weather Normalizing After Sandstorm Disruption

Following a period of unusual weather, conditions are beginning to return to normal across China. Forecasters reported that a recent influx of cold air triggered strong winds and widespread sandstorms, disrupting daily routines throughout the country.

The powerful gusts, which began on Thursday, were notable for their extensive reach, prolonged duration, and high speeds. The National Meteorological Center indicated that over 3.5 million square kilometers, representing more than a third of China's land area, experienced wind gusts exceeding 61.92 km/h. The most intense winds occurred over the weekend, with localized gusts reaching between 149.4 and 183.24 km/h in areas including Beijing, Tianjin, and the provinces of Hebei and Henan, as well as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

A significant number of weather stations recorded their highest wind speeds for the month of April. A total of 327 national-level stations reported record-breaking wind speeds, with 64 of them, located in provinces such as Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi, setting all-time highs.

The event was attributed to a collision between strong cold air and warm, humid airflow, intensified by a high-altitude cold high-pressure system. The winds carried sand and dust across northern China, impacting regions including Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu province, and the Xinjiang Uygur, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia Hui autonomous regions. Visibility in some areas dropped below 500 meters. Dust was also transported as far south as Chongqing, Guizhou province, Guangdong province, Fujian province, Hainan province, and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The extensive impact of sand and dust on southern regions is considered unusual. The last major event to reach Fujian and Taiwan occurred in March 2010. In Hainan, the northern part of the island experienced severe air pollution on Sunday morning due to the dust. Lingao county reached severe pollution levels, while several other counties registered moderate to mild pollution levels.

With the expectation of weakening winds and settling dust, forecasters in regions such as Hainan, Guangdong, and Chongqing anticipate improved air quality starting from Monday or later in the week. Although a yellow alert for strong winds was issued, previous warnings for sandstorms, blizzards, and ocean swells were lifted.

Cold air events in spring are typically short-lived. Temperatures in central and eastern China are forecast to rebound quickly, with average readings expected to be 1 to 3 degrees Celsius above normal in most parts of the country over the next 10 days. Starting on Wednesday, several rounds of rainfall are expected to move through southern China, affecting areas such as Guizhou, Hunan province, and Jiangxi province.