On Saturday, Beijing and northern China experienced severe gales, resulting in the cancellation of 838 flights and the suspension of train services, including the airport express. Wind gusts reached up to 93 mph, significantly impacting the city, prompting authorities to advise 22 million residents to stay indoors. Many attractions, parks, and historic sites were closed, and nearly 300 trees fell, although no injuries were reported. A local resident described the reduced street activity, while stranded travelers awaited flight rescheduling. The strong winds, tied to a cold vortex from Mongolia, are projected to persist through the weekend.
Numerous flights were cancelled and train services halted as strong winds struck Beijing and northern China on Saturday.
As of 11:30 local time (03:30 GMT) on Saturday, 838 flights had been cancelled across the two primary airports in the capital, according to Reuters.
Wind gusts reaching up to 93mph (150kph) – the most powerful in the Chinese capital in over fifty years – are predicted to persist throughout the weekend, resulting in the closure of various attractions and historical landmarks.
On Friday, millions were advised to remain indoors, with some state media cautioning that individuals weighing less than 50kg might be “easily swept away”.
Train operations, including those on the airport’s express subway and specific high-speed rail lines, have been suspended.
Parks have also been closed, with efforts made to reinforce or trim old trees in anticipation of the storm, yet nearly 300 trees have already fallen in the city.
Several vehicles sustained damage, but no injuries have been reported. In Beijing, most residents adhered to the warnings from authorities to stay indoors after the city advised its 22 million residents to refrain from non-essential travel.
“Everyone in Beijing was quite anxious about it. Today, there are barely any people out and about. However, it wasn’t as intense as I had anticipated,” a local citizen shared with Reuters.
Meanwhile, a businessman from Zhejiang province, close to Shanghai, found his flight home to be cancelled.
“Due to the severe winds, all flights scheduled for last night and today have been called off. So, I will probably have to rebook my flight in a few days. I’m essentially stranded in Beijing,” he lamented.
The fierce winds stem from a cold vortex system hovering over Mongolia and are anticipated to persist through the weekend.
Winds carrying sand and dust from Mongolia are typical in spring, although climate change can amplify the strength and severity of storms.
Beijing has issued its first orange alert for strong winds in ten years, forecasting the most intense winds to arrive on Saturday.
China measures wind speed on a scale from one to 17. A level 11 wind, as defined by the China Meteorological Administration, can inflict “serious damage,” while a level 12 wind can cause “extreme destruction.”
The winds expected this weekend are predicted to range from levels 11 to 13, with a reduction in intensity anticipated by Sunday.