'It looks like the end of the world': Massive sandstorm envelops Chinese capital
By
Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Mar 16, 2021 1:46 PM EDT
Residents of Beijing, China, were urged to wear masks and goggles on March 15, as smog settled in over the city. The smog was caused by a dust storm occurring in northern Mongolia.
Poor air quality already in place in Beijing surged to hazardous levels on Monday as the worst sandstorm in a decade swept through the Chinese capital and turned the sky an ominous shade of yellow while also covering areas in sand and dust. The same storm was also blamed for a number of fatalities in Mongolia.
A yellow alert for sandstorms was issued by the Chinese Meteorological Administration (CMA) for the cities of Beijing and Tianjin as strong west to northwesterly winds whipped sand from the Gobi Desert across northeastern China.
Officials urged residents to avoid outdoor activities and to wear masks, goggles and head coverings to protect themselves from the dust. The CMA has called this the biggest sandstorm in a decade, Reuters reported.
“It looks like the end of the world,” Beijing resident Flora Zou told Reuters.
Air quality across Beijing and the surrounding regions was already at unhealthy levels in recent weeks due to "intense" industrial activity as China's economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, Li Shuo of Greenpeace China told AFP.
Sand and dust from the Gobi Desert caused the levels of particulate matter (PM) less than 10 micrometers to rise across the region. PM is the most dangerous type of pollution to human health, and it can cause issues in the heart, lungs and brain as well as shorten life spans, according to Plume Labs, a partner company that provides AccuWeather with data on air quality around the world.
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High levels of these particles caused the air quality index in Beijing to reach hazardous levels, the highest threshold on the index.
The dust was carried into northeastern Beijing as winds generally out of the northwest climbed to 25-30 mph throughout the morning hours with occasional gusts as high as 40 mph.
Visibility dropped below 1 mile at 8 a.m., local time, and remained around 1-2 miles for around 12 hours.
Portions of southeastern Mongolia also felt the effects of the thick cloud of dust. At least 10 deaths have been blamed on the storm, according to the Global Times.
Winds of 45-55 mph with occasional gusts to 65-75 mph were measured across Mongolia on Saturday and Sunday, according to a local news source.
This satellite image of eastern Asia from March 16 shows the dust blowing across eastern China and the Yellow Sea in the wake of a cold front that swept across the region. (CIRA/RAMMB)
A total of 590 people went missing during the sandstorm in Mongolia.
According to local sources, many people went missing when they went out during the sandstorm and became disoriented trying to bring back livestock that had gone missing. Adding to the concern was a strong blast of cold air that infiltrated the area from Siberia.
Conditions in Beijing began to improve around 9 p.m., local time, as winds began to subside. The dust and smog quickly cleared, and the air quality began to improve.
Sandstorms are not unusual across Mongolia, China and the Korean Peninsula during this time of year. While the Gobi Desert, located in northern China and southern Mongolia, receives very little rainfall year-round, January, February and March are the driest months.
As the storm track shifts south in the spring, strong winds that follow the storms can pick up the yellow sand and dust from the desert and spread it across northeastern Asia.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
'It looks like the end of the world': Massive sandstorm envelops Chinese capital
By Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Mar 16, 2021 1:46 PM EDT
Residents of Beijing, China, were urged to wear masks and goggles on March 15, as smog settled in over the city. The smog was caused by a dust storm occurring in northern Mongolia.
Poor air quality already in place in Beijing surged to hazardous levels on Monday as the worst sandstorm in a decade swept through the Chinese capital and turned the sky an ominous shade of yellow while also covering areas in sand and dust. The same storm was also blamed for a number of fatalities in Mongolia.
A yellow alert for sandstorms was issued by the Chinese Meteorological Administration (CMA) for the cities of Beijing and Tianjin as strong west to northwesterly winds whipped sand from the Gobi Desert across northeastern China.
Officials urged residents to avoid outdoor activities and to wear masks, goggles and head coverings to protect themselves from the dust. The CMA has called this the biggest sandstorm in a decade, Reuters reported.
“It looks like the end of the world,” Beijing resident Flora Zou told Reuters.
Air quality across Beijing and the surrounding regions was already at unhealthy levels in recent weeks due to "intense" industrial activity as China's economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, Li Shuo of Greenpeace China told AFP.
Sand and dust from the Gobi Desert caused the levels of particulate matter (PM) less than 10 micrometers to rise across the region. PM is the most dangerous type of pollution to human health, and it can cause issues in the heart, lungs and brain as well as shorten life spans, according to Plume Labs, a partner company that provides AccuWeather with data on air quality around the world.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
High levels of these particles caused the air quality index in Beijing to reach hazardous levels, the highest threshold on the index.
The dust was carried into northeastern Beijing as winds generally out of the northwest climbed to 25-30 mph throughout the morning hours with occasional gusts as high as 40 mph.
Visibility dropped below 1 mile at 8 a.m., local time, and remained around 1-2 miles for around 12 hours.
Portions of southeastern Mongolia also felt the effects of the thick cloud of dust. At least 10 deaths have been blamed on the storm, according to the Global Times.
Winds of 45-55 mph with occasional gusts to 65-75 mph were measured across Mongolia on Saturday and Sunday, according to a local news source.
This satellite image of eastern Asia from March 16 shows the dust blowing across eastern China and the Yellow Sea in the wake of a cold front that swept across the region. (CIRA/RAMMB)
A total of 590 people went missing during the sandstorm in Mongolia.
According to local sources, many people went missing when they went out during the sandstorm and became disoriented trying to bring back livestock that had gone missing. Adding to the concern was a strong blast of cold air that infiltrated the area from Siberia.
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Conditions in Beijing began to improve around 9 p.m., local time, as winds began to subside. The dust and smog quickly cleared, and the air quality began to improve.
Sandstorms are not unusual across Mongolia, China and the Korean Peninsula during this time of year. While the Gobi Desert, located in northern China and southern Mongolia, receives very little rainfall year-round, January, February and March are the driest months.
As the storm track shifts south in the spring, strong winds that follow the storms can pick up the yellow sand and dust from the desert and spread it across northeastern Asia.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo