Heatwaves, Sandstorms Plague China

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
HEATWAVES
MAJOR SANDSTORMS
SCENARIOS 777, 067
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Record Temperatures Broil North China

Weather authorities in Hebei Province and cities of Beijing and Tianjin have issued a “Yellow Alert for High Temperatures,” the third highest alert level in the country, as  record-shattering heat in parts of northern China soared to about 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees).

People have been advised to limit their outdoor activities to avoid heatstroke, while the National Center for Disease Control has warned the rising temperatures could help the spread of infections, said a report.

“The national weather forecaster predicts that the region’s heatwave will continue for another three days.”

The latest rounds of heatwave have been plaguing different parts of China (and India) since late April.

At least 11 provinces, cities and regions have reported temperatures exceeding 35°C  this week, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province, said the report.

Other affected areas include southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and southern Sichuan Province.

Recurring Sandstorms

Meanwhile, recurring dust and sandstorms have hit multiple parts of China since early April.

The worst affected areas  include Beijing, northwest China’s Shaanxi, neighboring SHANXI, and Qinghai provinces, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Gansu Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The National Center for Performing Arts, one of Beijing’s landmarks, is shrouded in sand and dust, May 27, 2014. (Xinhua/Wang Huaigui)

The strongest sandstorm in decades  hit parts of Gansu province last month, reducing visibility to less than 20 meters .

THIS IS IT FOLKS!

Planet Dust Bowl

20 Million Tons of Dust in the Air

Minimum dust content in the atmosphere higher than 20 million tons: FIRE-EARTH

Thanks (!) to human induced climate change, exacerbating droughts, dust storms and a few other natural mechanism, as well as deforestation and increased agricultural damage …, the atmosphere contained a minimum of about 20 million tons of dust during the past 12 months, FIRE-EARTH estimates.

[NOTE: The estimate does not include particles from smoke and burning fossil fuels, or ash and other volcanic materials.]

Dust over the Mediterranean

A large plume of dust from the Sahara, extending about 700km, drifts northward across the Mediterranean Sea toward Greece. Natural-color imageas captured by MODIS instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite on November 10, 2010.  Download large image (3 MB, JPEG) . Click image to enlarge. Source: NASA E-O

Dust covers the Gulf of Alaska, again

Dust blows off the coast of Alaska covering the Gulf of Alaska for the second time in as many weeks. “Although dust storms often arise from sand seas, such as those of the Sahara or the Arabian Peninsula, dust can also result from the interactions of glaciers and bedrock.” The natural-color image was acquired by MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite on December 1, 2010. Download large image (1 MB, JPEG). Source: NASA E-O.

Related Links:

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• Gobi Tries to Bury E China

• TC Phet, SST and Intercontinental Dust Storms
• Killer Dust Storms Strike India, Middle East

• SW China on the precipice of catastrophe
• Humongous Dust Storm Sweeps Africa
• Australia: World’s Smallest Continental Dust Bowl
• Could Dust Storms Bury Sydney, Australia?
• Washington: Thousands of Tons of Topsoil Lost in Dust Storm

• Australia: Uranium Dust Threat Real?
• And dust to dust …
• The Mesopotamian Dust Bowl
• Image of the Day: Sandstorm in Saudi Desert

Other resources:

• Dust, Smoke, and Haze
• Satellites Search for 770m Tons of Dust in the Air