BEIJING: The capital of China took precautions on Saturday as unusual typhoon-like winds swept through northern areas, resulting in the closure of historical sites and major travel disruptions, accompanied by late-season snow and hail in some regions.
The winds, fueled by a cold vortex from neighboring Mongolia, rattled windows and toppled trees onto sidewalks and vehicles, causing a drop in temperatures.
Starting on Friday, these winds are expected to persist throughout the weekend, reaching speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour (about 90 mph), according to the official Xinhua news agency. Inner Mongolia experienced late snowfall, while southern China saw hailstorms.
This weekend, Beijing issued its second-highest wind alert for the first time in ten years, cautioning its 22 million residents to avoid unnecessary travel as the winds could break April records set in 1951.
After receiving earlier warnings, some locals expressed anxiety but attempted to go about their routines.
“It wasn’t as bad as I expected—it’s not completely unmanageable, but it’s definitely affecting daily life,” noted a 30-year-old resident named Li.
By 2 PM (0600 GMT), the winds had uprooted 703 trees in Beijing, and cancellations affected 693 flights at the city’s two major international airports—Beijing Capital and Beijing Daxing, according to state media reports.
Social media buzzed with conversations about the winds, with many users voicing concerns for food delivery personnel braving the harsh conditions.
“We can opt not to order delivery in weather like this—it’s just too challenging for them,” commented one user on Weibo.
The severe winds led to the rescheduling of a half-marathon planned for Sunday, where humanoid robots were to compete against humans to highlight China’s technological progress.
Simultaneously, sandstorms sweeping from Inner Mongolia to the Yangtze River region have severely hindered road travel across eight provinces, as reported by Xinhua and state broadcaster CCTV.
These sandstorms are predicted to affect Shanghai from Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning.
While strong winds carrying sand and dust from Mongolia are typical in spring, climate change has intensified these weather phenomena.
