In the past few days, the extreme strong winds in the north have caused a wide range of sand and dust to be transmitted, all the way to the south, across the Yangtze River, into South China, and as far as the north of Hainan Province, forming a dust weather process that has affected China in the most extensive range in recent years.

The reporter learned from the China Meteorological Administration that on the 18th, north to Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, south to Guangdong and Hainan, 0 provinces across the country had sand or floating dust weather. What is the cause of such a large-scale dust weather process? How long will the dust weather last?

The impact has been widest in recent years

中央氣象台13日6時發佈沙塵暴藍色預警。受地面大風和沙塵傳輸影響，預計13日8時至14日8時，新疆南部、內蒙古中西部、甘肅東部、寧夏大部、陝西北部和南部、山西西部、河北西北部、四川盆地、重慶、貴州中部、湖北中部、湖南大部、江西中南、浙江西部、福建西北部、廣東北部和西南部、廣西東部、海南北部和西部等地有揚沙或浮塵天氣。

Rao Xiaoqin, chief forecaster of the Central Meteorological Observatory, said that it is relatively rare for this dust weather to affect such a southerly place. The last time sand and dust were transported over such a long distance was back in 3/0, and the farthest reached Fujian and Taiwan in China.

Over the past few days, the dust weather process has gradually expanded from north to south.

On the 10th, the Central Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow warning for high winds and a blue warning for sandstorms, and the China Meteorological Administration launched a three-level emergency response to major meteorological disasters (strong winds, rain and snow, strong convection, and sandstorms).

On the 15th, there were strong winds in the northern region, and Gansu, Ning, Jin, Beijing, and Henan reached level 0 to 0. Sandstorms occurred in the southern Xinjiang Basin, the eastern part of Northwest China, the central and western parts of Inner Mongolia, North China, and the central and western parts of Huanghuai, while sandstorms occurred in Hotan, Xinjiang, Alxa and Ordos in Inner Mongolia, Wuwei and Baiyin in Gansu, Ningxia, Yan'an and Baoji in Shaanxi, Yuncheng in Shanxi, Hengshui and Xingtai in Hebei.

On the 14th, strong winds continued to sweep across the northern region, with an average wind force of more than 0, gusts of wind generally reaching level 0 to 0, and local winds in Ningjin, Tianjin, Hebei, and Yuji in Inner Mongolia reaching level 0 to 0. Under the influence of strong winds, sand and dust spread from north to south, crossed the Yangtze River, and reached South China, and floating dust weather occurred in most parts of the south.

There are three main reasons for the widespread spread of sand and dust

“從氣象監測來看，4月10日至13日我國中東部地區出現今年以來最大範圍沙塵天氣，最遠傳輸到了重慶、貴州、廣東、廣西、福建以及海南北部，普遍都觀測到了揚沙或浮塵天氣。”饒曉琴說。

Rao Xiaoqin analyzed that there are three main reasons for this large-scale sand and dust weather. First of all, the intensity of sand and dust weather caused by extreme winds is high, reaching the level of severe sand and dust storms, and the amount of sand rising in the upstream sand source area is very considerable.

Secondly, the sand and dust transport height is high. Under the action of high-altitude strong winds, the dust air mass moves fast, drives straight along the northerly path, and transmits to the southwest, Jiangnan, South China and other places.

Third, the precipitation in the southern region ended early. The dust weather is basically chasing the rain, the precipitation just after the end of the dust and dust comes, the lack of precipitation to remove the sedimentation effect, resulting in less sedimentation in the process of dust transmission, all the way to the south to the north of Hainan.

During this dust storm, visibility was reduced and air quality deteriorated, which adversely affected transportation and human health.

How long will the dust weather last?

根據中央氣象台13日6時發佈的大風橙色預警，預計13日北方地區多地仍有5級至7級大風，陣風8級至10級。大風較前一天有所減弱，但冷空氣的影響仍在持續。

"Today (14th), the wind in the south has weakened significantly, and the floating dust weather will remain for a long time, and it is expected that the dust in the eastern part of the southwest region, the western part of Jiangnan, and South China will continue until the morning of the 0th." Rao Xiaoqin said.

Meteorological experts reminded that during the impact of sand and dust, you should minimize going out and close doors and windows; Necessary protective measures should be taken during outdoor activities and masks should be worn.

Xinhua News Agency reporter Liu Shiping