BEIJING: China’s Central Meteorological Observatory issued three alerts for nationwide extreme weather: a blue alert for severe convective storms, a yellow alert for high temperatures and a blue alert for rainstorms, according to its official website.
North and Northeast China will see a mix of rainfall and severe convective weather, the China Weather Network reported. From Sunday to next Monday, thunderstorms with winds of force 8 and possible hails are expected. Central Inner Mongolia and eastern Shandong Province may see gusts above force 10. Southern Hebei Province and parts of Shandong Province may experience hourly rainfall exceeding 50 millimeters, with localized peaks surpassing 70 millimeters.
Over the next 10 days, hot and humid conditions will expand northward, with the maximum temperatures topping 40 C in the Yangtze River Basin, especially in the Sichuan Basin and Zhejiang Province, according to the China Weather Network.
The mix of heat and humidity will make afternoons feel particularly oppressive. “Feels-like” temperatures are expected to reach 40 C or above in most areas, with maximum temperatures reaching around 45 C in parts of Sichuan Basin, Hubei, Henan and Zhejiang.
Southern cities will face prolonged heat. Hangzhou is forecast to hit 40 C consecutively on August 19 and 20, potentially setting a new high for the year. In the north, Xi’an is expected to endure seven straight days of extreme heat, while Zhengzhou’s heatwave may last until August 22.
Authorities advise the public to continue heatstroke prevention and cooling measures. Unlike in past years, when sustained heatwaves after the Beginning of Autumn were rare in North China and the Huanghuai region, prolonged high temperatures are now a concern.
From Sunday through Monday, heavy to torrential rain is forecast across multiple regions. In southwestern coastal Guangdong, rainfall could reach 100 to 150 millimeters, according to the Central Meteorological Observatory.
Over the next two days, North and Northeast China will see mainly convective rainfall with intense short-term precipitation, requiring residents to closely follow local forecasts and warnings. In Southwest and South China, prolonged rainfall with significant accumulated precipitation, raising the risk of secondary disasters such as landslides and flooding, the China Weather Network warned.
On Saturday evening, Haikou’s transport and port authority announced that due to a tropical depression, Xinhai Port, Xiuying Port and Railway South Port in Hainan,will suspend operations from Sunday noon. Resumption of operations will depend on weather conditions.
The ports were closed from Saturday to Sunday to allow large numbers of fishing vessels to return for the season. On Sunday, a brief operational window may open to clear stranded trucks. Authorities advised vehicles not yet at the ports to delay their trips.
China Railway Guangzhou Group said it would adjust routes or suspend some conventional-speed trains crossing the Qiongzhou Straits. On Sunday, trains were redirected to terminate or depart from Guangzhou Baiyun Station or Zhanjiang West Station in Guangdong, while trains between Shenzhen East and Sanya were suspended.
Railway authorities said they will continue adjusting train operations based on the extent of rainfall.
Passengers are advised to closely monitor train schedules through the official 12306 website or app, station announcements, and other channels to plan their travel. –The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
