In an effort to tackle water shortages in Xinjiang, China has undertaken a successful drone-based cloud-seeding experiment to enhance rainfall. The trial, conducted over a vast area of the Bayanbulak Grasslands, demonstrated moisture-laden positive results, with drones dispersing silver iodide to trigger precipitation. This approach aims to combat the region’s ongoing challenges with desertification and glacial retreat.
Strong winds and heavy rainfall struck Qianxi, Guizhou Province, China, on Sunday, May 4, 2025, causing four tourist boats to capsize on the Liuchong River. The incident left nine people dead and 70 hospitalized.
Chinese authorities warned citizens weighing less than 50 kg (110 lb) to stay indoors as a large-scale low-pressure system moving in from Mongolia brought record-breaking winds exceeding 150 km/h (93 mph) to parts of northern China. Over 499 weather stations broke April wind records as the system moved southeast through the weekend, causing widespread damage and placing millions under severe weather alerts.
East China’s Shandong province experienced its heaviest March snowstorm since 1971 from March 1 to 3, 2025, with snow accumulation reaching up to 20 cm (7.9 inches), causing widespread disruptions to daily life and transportation. Events like this are rare for early March in Shandong’s temperate monsoon climate, where cold, dry winters usually limit snowfall to lighter amounts between December and February, especially in milder coastal areas influenced by the Yellow Sea.
A severe hailstorm battered Zhangpu, Fujian Province, on March 2–3, 2025, unleashing hailstones reportedly as large as 14 cm (5.5 inches) in diameter. If confirmed by the China Meteorological Administration, this could rank among the largest hailstones ever recorded in China.
A large landslide struck Jinping village in Junlian County, Sichuan Province, on February 8, 2025, burying 10 houses and leaving over 30 people unaccounted for. The disaster led to the evacuation of approximately 200 people to safer areas.
A very strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.1 hit western Xizang, China at 01:05 UTC (09:05 LT) on January 7, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting M7.0 at a depth of 10 km. China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) is reporting M6.8 and a depth of 10 km.
The Taklimakan Desert in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was blanketed by snow on December 12, 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year this rare phenomenon has occurred in a desert known for its arid conditions and minimal annual precipitation.
A powerful cold wave swept through northeastern China from Monday through Tuesday, November 25 to 26, 2024, bringing Heilongjiang’s heaviest snowstorm of the year. Hegang, a city in the province, received 53 mm (2.1 inches) of snow in just 24 hours, leading to a total accumulation of 37 cm (14.6 inches). Thousands of personnel and machines were mobilized to clear the snow and ensure public safety as temperatures dropped sharply.
Former Super Typhoon “Kong-rey” brought record-breaking rainfall to coastal China after causing significant destruction in Taiwan, where it left 3 people dead and over 500 injured. What’s left of this storm is now moving toward Japan, with western regions already experiencing its effects, expected to last into November 2. Eastern Japan and the Tohoku region are likely to be impacted from November 2 to 3, with risks of landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, and rising river levels.
