As May Day holiday travelers kick off their return journeys on the final day of the break on Monday, Chinese meteorological authorities have issued warnings about severe weather conditions across many parts of the nation that could potentially disrupt travel plans.
In southern China, heavy rainfall is predicted for Monday and Tuesday, followed by a fresh round of storms starting on Wednesday. Meanwhile, northern China is bracing for strong winds, and there’s even the possibility of dust storms. Central and eastern regions, on the other hand, will experience fluctuating temperatures.
On Monday morning, the National Meteorological Center released three consecutive blue alerts. These alerts were for sandstorms, strong winds, and severe convective weather in certain parts of the country.
Southern China saw the height of the current round of rainfall on Sunday, with multiple areas being affected by severe convective weather. Monitoring data shows that from 8 am on Sunday to 6 am on Monday, heavy downpours pelted several parts of the region.
The rain in the south is expected to let up on Monday and Tuesday. However, starting from Wednesday, another large-scale rainstorm will move from west to east across southern regions. This rainstorm will bring brief but intense precipitation, thunderstorms, and strong winds, according to Weather China.
With the peak of the holiday return trips coinciding with heavy rainfall and severe convective weather, some highways might face disruptions. Drivers are advised to keep a safe distance from other vehicles and reduce their speed. Additionally, in the next three days, some areas in southern provinces should stay on high alert for geological hazards and mountain floods due to the heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, on Monday, cold air continued to bring strong winds and sandstorms to a large part of northern China. Some areas may experience winds ranging from force 5 to 7, with gusts reaching force 8 to 10. There could also be blowing sand, dust storms, or full-fledged sandstorms.
Furthermore, recent cold air activity has led to significant temperature fluctuations across central and eastern China. On Sunday, the cooling trend moved southward, causing temperatures in the eastern parts of Southwest China’s Guizhou Province and other areas to drop sharply by more than 8 degrees, as reported by Weather China.
