Severe sandstorms move across northern China, breaking wind records at 499 stations and prompting rare public advisories

A powerful low-pressure system moving southeast from Mongolia triggered widespread sandstorms and gale-force winds across northern China on Saturday, April 12. The system brought some of the strongest winds in decades to Beijing and parts of northern and eastern China.

The sandstorm covered more than 4 million km² (1.5 million mi²), causing 499 weather stations to break April wind gust records on Saturday. It also led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights and caused damage to numerous buildings and vehicles across the country.​

Strong winds caused some damage in southern China on April 12, with the maximum gust reaching 38m/s pic.twitter.com/4mHXDGmJhF

— Jim (@yangyubin1998) April 12, 2025

Strong winds began affecting northern China on Friday, April 11, extending southward and into parts of eastern China. The event continued through Sunday, April 13. An orange alert was issued for Beijing on Friday—the first in a decade—due to strong winds forecast across the Hebei region. The sandstorms were expected to reach areas as far south as Hong Kong.

Many supermarkets and stores across Beijing saw empty shelves on Friday as residents began stockpiling supplies ahead of the severe weather.

Authorities and local media urged millions across the country to stay indoors, advising individuals weighing less than 50 kg (110 lb) to avoid going outside due to the risk of being blown over by winds reaching up to 150 km/h (93 mph).

Cold air is pouring into northern China. This afternoon, the maximum gust in Helan Mountain, Ningxia, reached 46.0 m/s, breaking the record for the entire province of Ningxia. Fierce sandstorms are sweeping across many parts of northwest China. pic.twitter.com/FecnAg8PiK

— Jim (@yangyubin1998) April 11, 2025

As of 07:00 LT on Saturday, strong winds and dust storms had affected 106 road sections across eight provincial-level regions, including Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Henan. The disruptions involved 82 expressways.

Gusts reaching levels 9 to 11 on the Beaufort scale were recorded in parts of Beijing between 14:00 LT and 15:00 LT on Saturday, with localized gusts in mountainous areas hitting level 14, according to Beijing meteorological authorities.

Level 14 on the Beaufort scale represents winds of 149–165 km/h (93–103 mph). The Beaufort scale is used to classify winds in relation to the observed conditions on sea and land on a scale of levels 1 to 12, with level 12 being the highest. The extended version of the scale included levels 13 to 17.

April 12, China was hit by a nationwide gale and dust storm that was rare in history, with the maximum gust reaching 46.8m/s! The sandstorm blew from Mongolia all the way to the Yangtze River and may even affect Hong Kong! pic.twitter.com/8mO795JEep

— Jim (@yangyubin1998) April 12, 2025

Gusts of 162 km/h (100 mph) were recorded at the Gaoshan Rose Garden in Beijing’s Mentougou District. In northern China’s Tianjin, a maximum gust of 155 km/h (96 mph) was recorded on Friday—the highest April wind speed in the region since records began in 1951.

Beijing’s two international airports—Beijing Capital and Daxing—had canceled 693 flights by 14:00 local time (LT) on Saturday, with authorities warning that more severe weather was on the way, particularly in the country’s north and along coastal areas.

Train services, including the airport express subway line and several high-speed rail lines, were also suspended. More than 14 train services in Beijing and surrounding areas were halted on Friday and Saturday to ensure safe operations.

The Universal Studios theme park in Beijing was closed at least through Sunday. Historic sites such as the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven were also closed due to the severe weather. Multiple outdoor sporting events were also suspended through the weekend.

Severe sandstorm hits Xi'an, Shaanxi pic.twitter.com/gmWSw2uayp

— Jim (@yangyubin1998) April 11, 2025

As of 15:00 LT on Saturday, strong winds had caused 843 trees to fall across Beijing, resulting in eight power line disruptions and damage to 30 vehicles and six houses. The city’s forestry and parks department mobilized nearly 22 000 emergency inspection and rescue personnel for recovery efforts.

Winds bringing sand and dust from Mongolia are common during spring in China. The strong winds are from a cold vortex system over Mongolia and are expected to last through the weekend.

References:

¹ High winds and sandstorms prompt Beijing to cancel hundreds of flights and close parks – AP – April 12, 2025

² Hundreds of flights cancelled in China as strong winds hit capital – BBC – April 12, 2025