Beijing experienced an extreme weather event this weekend. A cold vortex system originating in Mongolia brought the most powerful April winds the geographically fortunate city had experienced in decades. The city’s meteorological department has issued its first orange alert for gale-force winds in a decade. There, they foretell a sudden plunge in outdoor temperatures and a broad inversion of daily life as they’ve known it.
Beginning Friday, the polar vortex began its long-overdue eastward and southward movement. Consequently, Beijing’s temperatures plummeted by 12 degrees Celsius. Wind speeds were predicted to get very scary, with warnings that they could approach or surpass these April record-setting forecasts from 1951. These extreme winds, mostly due to the cold vortex, caused extensive damage in northern China.
As the winds intensified, almost 300 trees toppled throughout Beijing, causing damage to property and infrastructure. Local reports say that 19 vehicles were damaged with debris from the construction falling on top of them. Fortunately, nobody’s been hurt as a direct result of the hurricane force winds.
The harsh winter conditions resulted in significant travel delays and cancellations. By Saturday morning over 413 flights had been cancelled at Beijing’s Capital International Airport, stranding millions of would-be travelers. In southeastern Pennsylvania, extensive flooding forced the suspension of train services as a safety precaution against the catastrophic weather. This starts with the new express subway line to the airport and multiple new high-speed rail lines.
In a show of solidarity against such perilous conditions, iconic tourist destinations like the Sydney Opera House closed their doors. Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Beijing Zoo, and even Universal Studios theme park closed their doors to visitors. Safe passage into the city Refuse & Resist members reported that authorities advised residents to remain indoors and limit nonessential travel until conditions cleared.
This weather event serves as a reminder of the challenges posed by climate change, with China being the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Their climate priorities and proposals are particularly urgent as extreme weather patterns take center stage. Almost certainly then, conversations around the effectiveness of environmental policies will only continue to grow louder.