Extreme winds forecasted to sweep through Beijing this weekend

Extremely strong winds are set to impact Beijing starting this Friday afternoon, and the Beijing meteorological authority issued an orange alert for strong winds on Thursday morning, which marks the first city-wide orange alert for strong winds issued in the capital in nearly a decade, Beijing News reported.

Lei Lei, the chief forecaster at the Beijing Meteorological Observatory, said that the winds are expected to intensify around the western and northern regions by around 5 pm on Friday and reach downtown by 8 pm.

"The daytime on Saturday is expected to be the period of the strongest winds, with an average wind force of around 6 on the Beaufort scale across the entire city," she said. "In the plains, gusts may reach 9 to 11 on the Beaufort scale, while in the western and northern regions, gusts could reach 11 to 13, and in mountainous areas, localized gusts could exceed 13 on the Beaufort scale."

The wind speed reaches 41.4 meters per second, corresponding to force 13 on the Beaufort scale.

Furthermore, this wind event will be accompanied by a sharp drop in temperatures, she added.

The maximum temperature on Saturday is expected to fall to 14 degrees C, with a 13-degree drop within 24 hours.

There may be sandstorms or dust in the air during the strong winds from Friday evening to Saturday.

The city government suggested suspending organized outdoor sports or gatherings and halting outdoor activities for primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, and related training institutions.

It also advises the public to avoid outdoor activities and strictly prohibits outdoor fire use. Unnecessary travel is discouraged, and vehicles and individuals are advised not to linger beneath tall buildings, billboards, temporary structures, or large trees. All outdoor construction work and recreational activities are to be halted.

On Wednesday afternoon, Yin Yong, mayor of Beijing, chaired a meeting to deploy measures for the upcoming severe wind weather, highlighting the need for comprehensive risk assessments and coordinated efforts to ensure public safety.