Severe Winds Ground Flights and Suspend Services in Beijing

The city of Beijing is grappling with extreme wind conditions, leading to the cancellation of hundreds of flights and suspension of train services as residents are urged to stay indoors.

Hundreds of flights have been disrupted in Beijing as powerful winds battered northern China over the weekend. According to Reuters, by Saturday morning, 838 flights were cancelled across the capital’s two major airports. The gales, reaching gusts of 93mph (150kph), represent the strongest winds to hit the city in 50 years and are expected to persist throughout the weekend.

Authorities have closed museums, parks, and major attractions, issuing warnings for residents to remain indoors. Some state media even alerted that individuals weighing less than 50kg might face serious risks of being blown away. In response to the conditions, train services, including the airport express subway line and select high-speed rail routes, have also been halted.

The adverse weather has already caused damage within the city, with nearly 300 trees uprooted. Residents showed compliance with the directives to stay home, creating an unusual calm on the streets of a city typically bustling with life. One local commented on the eerie stillness, stating, “Everyone in Beijing was really nervous about it. Today there are hardly any people out on the streets. However, it wasn’t as severe as I had imagined.”

Travel plans have also been disrupted; one businessman from Zhejiang province found himself stranded due to his cancelled flight. He expressed uncertainty about rescheduling, noting, “Because of the severe winds, all flights scheduled for last night and today were cancelled. So, I will probably rebook my flight in a couple of days.”

The heavy winds are attributed to a cold vortex system developing over Mongolia, and while windy conditions bringing dust and sand from Mongolia are common in the spring, climate change may exacerbate these storms. Beijing has issued its first orange alert for strong winds in ten years, with the China Meteorological Administration classifying the current winds between levels 11 and 13, where level 11 signifies the potential for "serious damage" and level 12 indicates "extreme destruction." Easing conditions are anticipated by Sunday as the city and its residents brace for the aftermath.