On July 12, heavy rain poured down in multiple areas of Beijing, turning the sky dark in an instant and shrouding the city in mist. Beijing issued alerts for heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong winds, and other severe weather conditions, while activating a Level IV emergency response for flood prevention and control across the entire city.
Numerous netizens in Beijing captured and shared videos showing the sudden deluge of rain in areas such as Dongcheng District, Fangshan District, and Mentougou District. The sky turned dark within seconds as heavy rain fell and mist enveloped the surroundings.
Local residents commented online, with one remarking, “The rain is really heavy, the entire sky has darkened!” Another mentioned, “No exaggeration, Chaoyang District in Beijing has been experiencing heavy rain for over an hour now, from downpours to pouring rain, and it’s still continuing.”
Reports from Mentougou District revealed that a Level II flood prevention response had been activated, with the district meteorological station issuing an orange alert for heavy rain at 12:30 PM on the 12th. Currently, all scenic spots and homestays in the district have temporarily ceased operations.
At 10:10 AM, the Beijing Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms; at 10:20 AM, a blue alert for heavy rain was issued; and at 1:03 PM, a blue alert for strong winds was released.
Subsequently, the Beijing Meteorological Bureau issued blue alerts for geological disaster weather risks and urban waterlogging.
It is forecasted that on the morning of the 13th, Beijing will continue to experience thunderstorms, with locally heavy rainfall expected. The average precipitation is estimated to be between 3 to 8 millimeters, with some areas possibly receiving 30 to 50 millimeters. The maximum hourly rainfall intensity could reach 20 to 40 millimeters.