In brief
The capital city of Beijing faces significant disruptions due to powerful winds reaching nearly 93mph, leading to flight cancellations, suspended train services, and widespread advisories for residents to stay indoors.
Beijing is currently experiencing unprecedented weather disturbances as strong winds sweep across the capital and northern regions of China. On Saturday, a staggering 838 flights were grounded at Beijing's two primary airports, disrupting thousands of travel plans, according to reports from Reuters.Wind gusts have reached up to 93mph (150 kph), marking the most severe winds recorded in the city in more than fifty years. The turbulent conditions are expected to persist throughout the weekend, prompting officials to close various attractions and historical sites. Ahead of the windy forecast, authorities advised millions of residents to remain indoors, cautioning that individuals weighing less than 50kg could be at risk of being physically blown away.Train services have not been spared; operations for the airport express subway line and several high-speed rail routes have been suspended. In addition, many parks are closed, and while some preventive measures involving tree reinforcement and trimming were undertaken, nearly 300 trees have been uprooted or damaged so far. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, with many residents heeding the city's advice to avoid unnecessary travel. "The streets are almost empty, people are clearly heeding the warnings," noted one local.Amid the chaos, stranded travelers are left to adapt. A businessman traveling from Zhejiang expressed frustration over his canceled flight, stating, "All flights last night and today were canceled. I guess I will rebook my flight in a few days. Right now, I'm essentially stranded in Beijing."The intense winds are attributed to a cold vortex system originating from Mongolia, and emergency alerts have been heightened in the city, with an orange alert for strong winds being issued—something not seen in a decade. The China Meteorological Administration ranks wind conditions on a scale from 1 to 17, whereby levels 11 and 12 can inflict serious and extreme damage, respectively. Meteorologists predict that this weekend's winds will likely range from levels 11 to 13, with expectations of a gradual improvement in conditions by Sunday.
