Heavy rainfall, severe storms forecast across large parts of China

The China Meteorological Administration raised its major meteorological disaster emergency response on Monday morning from Level IV, the lowest level, to Level III and expanded the alert to cover both torrential rain and severe convective weather.

Meanwhile, the National Meteorological Center renewed a blue alert for severe convective weather, the lowest level in its three-tier warning system, warning that powerful thunderstorms, hail and torrential downpours will sweep across large parts of the country.

The center said that from Monday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon, thunderstorms accompanied by gale-force winds of more than Level 8 — equivalent to gusts of at least 62 kilometers per hour — or hail are likely to affect parts of central and eastern North China and southern South China.

In some areas of Hebei province, Beijing and Tianjin, winds will be even stronger, with gusts exceeding Level 10, or more than 88 km/h.

Meanwhile, intense bursts of short-duration heavy rainfall are forecast in central and southern Northeast China, central and eastern North China, central and southern South China, and southern Southwest China. These storms could bring hourly rainfall of more than 20 millimeters. Downpours are expected to be particularly heavy in southern Hebei, southeastern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and southern Guangdong province, where hourly rainfall may exceed 50 mm and could peak at more than 90 mm.

The center said that from Monday through Wednesday, heavy to torrential rainfall is expected across most parts of Guangdong and Guangxi, central and southern Fujian province, southern Jiangxi province, western and eastern Yunnan province, southern Sichuan province and southwestern Guizhou province, with some areas likely to experience severe rainstorms.

Localized extremely heavy rainfall is expected along the coast of South China. Eastern Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Northeast China, North China, and the eastern Yellow-Huaihe River Valley are expected to see scattered showers or thunderstorms, with localized heavy rain or rainstorms accompanied by short-duration heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, strong winds, hail and other severe convective weather.

The alerts followed days of exceptional rainfall that has already saturated parts of Guangdong and Guangxi where more than 600 mm of rain has been recorded in some areas.

The continuing rainfall poses a high risk of hazards such as flash floods, geological disasters, flooding of small and medium-sized rivers, and urban waterlogging. In Shanwei and Jieyang, two cities in Guangdong province, waterlogging has already occurred in some areas. Residents in low-lying areas should be evacuated as soon as possible, the administration warned.

Weather China, a website affiliated with the China Meteorological Administration, warned residents to stay indoors, avoid unsafe structures and remain alert for floods and landslides. Farmers should shelter livestock and reinforce sheds, while vessels should return to port.