Photo: Li Hao/GT

After issuing warnings for three consecutive days,MKsport the National Meteorological Center (NMC) continued issuing a warning for gales, along with blue warnings for sandstorms and blizzards on Sunday. So far, this round of weather conditions has caused impacts in multiple regions, prompting authorities to implement corresponding preventive and emergency response measures.

The NMC issued an orange warning for strong winds and a blue warning for sandstorms, along with a blue warning for blizzards on Sunday morning, according to CCTV News.

As of 6 pm on Sunday, the NMC continued to issue a yellow warning for strong winds, a blue warning for sandstorms and a blue warning for blizzards.

Many areas, including North China, are experiencing persistent strong winds, with some regions seeing gusts reaching level 11 or higher. Heavy snow, and even blizzards in some areas, are expected in the central and eastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Meanwhile, places like Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are facing blowing sand or floating dust. 

Beijing Meteorological Service reported that strong winds swept the city from Friday evening to Sunday daytime. Among the 20 national meteorological stations, 13 recorded maximum wind speeds exceeding the past decade's April extremes, with eight stations hitting all-time April highs since their establishment, China News reported.

On Thursday, the NMC issued a yellow wind warning, while Beijing upgraded to an orange wind alert, the capital city's first in a decade. The orange alert was continuously renewed by the national center through Friday and Saturday.

From 5 pm on Friday to 6 am on Sunday, extreme winds reaching force 8 or above were recorded at 509 out of Beijing's 573 monitoring stations, with 350 stations measuring force 9 or higher. Moreover, 16 stations registered gusts between force 12 to 14, said Beijing meteorological bureau, Xinhua reported. 

In China, wind speeds measured at 10 meters above ground in standard meteorological observation fields are categorized into 18 distinct levels. Forces 11 and 12, or higher, are exceptionally rare over land areas and primarily occur in high-altitude mountainous regions, said the report.

From Sunday through Monday daytime, Beijing will continue experiencing strong winds due to a cold air front. Most areas will see gusts from level 9 to 11, with mountainous regions potentially exceeding level 12 on Sunday, CCTV reported.

This round of strong winds has already affected many areas, prompting local authorities to launch preventive and emergency response measures.

All trains on the railway linking Huairou and Miyun districts, the railway between Tongzhou and Miyun districts and Line S2 in Beijing were suspended on Sunday due to the gale warning, CCTV reported.

The Air Traffic Management Bureau's meteorological center cautioned that airports in Beijing and some other places face operational disruptions from the severe cold front, advising travelers to monitor real-time flight updates, CCTV reported.

Affected by the strong winds, North China's Tianjin Municipality had handled over 550 cases of fallen trees by 3 pm Saturday, with no reports of injuries or road closures due to fallen trees. By 3 pm Saturday, parts of North China's Shanxi Province and Central China's Henan Province reported incidents of rooftops and large windows being blown away.

The strong winds have also caused some damage and injuries so far.

A 55-year-old woman, who was riding an e-bike, was struck by a falling tree in Jin'an district in Lu'an, East China's Anhui Province on Saturday and died despite rescue efforts, the Jin'an District said on its WeChat account on Sunday.

Between Friday to 5 pm on Saturday, Beijing's financial regulators of the National Financial Regulatory Administration reported over 500 insurance claims related to the winds, including 297 auto insurance claims with estimated losses totaling 1.88 million yuan ($257,000).

"This season is naturally prone to strong winds, which are historically common during this month. However, the current strong winds can be attributed to two key factors: First, the rapid temperature rise in some areas. Second, the exceptionally strong cold air mass from Siberia and Mongolia," Ma Jun, director of the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

"The intense collision between this powerful cold front and the pre-existing warm air has triggered not only severe gales but also violent convective weather, including sandstorms," Ma said.

Under the background of global climate change, the global average temperature shows a fluctuating upward trend, which may lead to more frequent and intensified extreme weather events. Although this strong wind hasn't been officially classified as extreme weather, it exhibited some extreme characteristics, Ma said, noting the intensity, prolonged duration, and extensive area affected by the wind.

Ma added that the dust carried by the wind significantly impacted air quality, potentially elevating pollution levels in affected regions.

According to the monitoring system of the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province, as of 11 am on Sunday, the Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeded 110 in all 21 prefecture-level cities due to dust weather caused by high winds. Four cities recorded AQI values above 300, while Jieyang, the city with the best air quality, had an AQI of 114, reported The Paper.

Ma said that the forecast for the strong winds was relatively accurate, with cities such as Beijing issuing early warnings and taking measures effectively in advance, so that overall losses could be minimized.

To better prepare for future extreme weather events, Ma emphasized prioritizing enhanced monitoring, early warning systems and forecasting capabilities through advanced computing technology to improve predictions and mitigate risks. 

Simultaneously, strengthening infrastructure, emergency response systems and making necessary adjustments to industrial and transportation structures will be crucial to improve resilience against various climate phenomena, Ma said.