On February 6th, news of a level 12 gale hitting Beijing became a hot topic on Weibo, with netizens lamenting how they almost got blown away while taking out the trash. The Beijing Meteorological Bureau issued continuous blue and yellow alerts for low temperatures in various districts of the city on its official website from 4 pm to 5 pm on February 6th. It stated that due to the impact of strong cold air, the overnight minimum temperature in the plain areas of Beijing is expected to remain below minus 10°C from the 6th to the 8th, reminding everyone to take precautions.
At the same time, “Beijing Gale” surged to the top trend on Weibo on February 6th, with netizens sharing their experiences of being buffeted by the strong winds. According to the report by Daily Economic News on February 7th, the Beijing Meteorological Observatory announced on the afternoon of February 6th that strong winds had arrived in the capital city. The gale was expected to continue until the 7th, with gusts reaching six to seven levels during the day, gradually weakening to around three levels at night. The daytime high temperature on the 7th is forecasted to only reach -4°C, with a nighttime low of -12°C.
As of 7:00 pm on the 6th, the average wind speed in most parts of Beijing was around level 5, with gusts reaching levels 7 and 8, and some areas experiencing level 9 or higher winds. Among the 561 observation stations in Beijing, there was only one station reporting a level 12 gust, which was recorded at 32.9 meters per second at Mount Rose Garden in Mentougou. Additionally, there were 173 stations reporting gusts of level 8 or above (30.8%), 29 stations reporting level 9 or above (5.2%), and 4 stations reporting level 10 or above (0.7%), distributed across various districts in Beijing.
Public data indicates that wind force refers to the strength of the force exerted by wind on objects. Wind force is classified into 13 levels based on the various phenomena generated by wind blowing on objects on land or water surfaces, ranging from level 0 to level 12. A level 12 gust has extremely destructive power and can cause severe damage to buildings and infrastructure. Such wind force is relatively rare on land.
Daily Economic News quoted Sun Qianqian, a meteorological analyst from the China Meteorological Administration, who stated that Beijing would enter the core period of the strong winds on the 6th, with average wind speeds reaching around level 6 and gusts reaching levels 8 to 9. The extreme nature of the current gale in Beijing was highlighted. Sun issued a reminder for people to minimize outdoor activities and to stay away from areas that may trigger the Venturi effect if they must go outside.
The Beijing gale has attracted attention from netizens, with many sharing their experiences of braving the strong winds. Some netizens mentioned how they were almost blown away, how severe and cold it was, and how they were forced to take a taxi for a 2-kilometer commute.
Furthermore, according to the China Meteorological Administration, a new wave of strong cold air will impact the central and eastern regions as it moves southward from northern China from the 6th to the 8th, bringing windy and cool weather. On the 6th, the Central Meteorological Observatory continued to issue blue alerts for cold waves and yellow alerts for strong winds.
The Central Meteorological Observatory predicts a temperature drop of 6-8°C in the northern parts of Huang-Huai River Basin, with some areas in the eastern part of Northwest China experiencing temperature drops exceeding 10°C, as well as southern China with a general temperature drop of 4-6°C, reaching 7-8°C in some areas, and possibly exceeding 10°C in certain localities. During this period, the region north of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River will experience winds of level 4 to 6, with gusts of 7 to 8 levels. In particular, some areas in the northern part of Shanxi and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region may experience gusts of 9 to 10 levels, with the 6th being the period of the strongest winds on land.
The Meteorological Observatory stated that the cold wave in the central and eastern regions will lead to a significant wind chill effect. It advised the public to dress warmly and prevent respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in time. With strong winds expected in North China, the public is advised to pay attention to travel safety, avoid tall trees and billboards, promptly secure items on windowsills to prevent them from falling, and refrain from using open flames outdoors due to the dry and windy weather.
Furthermore, Sun Qianqian, a meteorological analyst from the China Meteorological Administration, stated in an interview on February 6th that a distinctive feature of this cold wave was the significant strong winds accompanying it in the northern regions. Over the next three days, the north is expected to experience frequent strong winds of levels 4 to 6, with gusts reaching levels 7 to 8. Especially in the next two days, the wind force in the North China Plain will be unusually strong, with some areas experiencing gusts of levels 8 to 9. This will be the strongest gale event of the year so far.