China’s mainland experienced extreme weather during the “May Day” holiday, with most regions expected to see a process of cooling precipitation. Southern provinces and cities are forecasted to have heavy rain, torrential rain, and locally thunderstorms, strong winds or hail. Multiple small and medium-sized rivers in the southern region may experience floods exceeding warning levels. Northeastern Chongqing, western Yunnan, and other areas face a higher risk of geological disasters.
The Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources and China Meteorological Administration jointly issued a geological disaster weather risk alert at 6 p.m. on May 1, 2026. It is predicted that from 8 p.m. on May 1 to 8 p.m. on May 2, there will be a higher risk of geological disasters in northeastern Chongqing, western Yunnan, and other areas (yellow warning). People in the yellow warning zones are advised to avoid staying in high-risk areas such as valleys, slopes, and cliffs.
At 6 p.m. on May 1, 2026, the Emergency Management Bureau, Natural Resources Bureau, and Meteorological Observatory of Lushui City, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province jointly issued a Level III geological disaster weather risk alert: Due to continuous precipitation, the southern part of Lushui City is expected to have a higher geological disaster weather risk (Level III) in the next 24 hours, leading to landslides, mudslides, and collapses.
The Chongqing Daily reported on April 30, 2026, that starting from midnight on May 1, Chongqing will enter the flood season comprehensively. According to comprehensive analysis and prediction by the meteorological department, the climate in Chongqing during the flood season of 2026 (from May to September) will mainly exhibit characteristics of “alternate dry and wet periods, dominance of dry spells, prominent high temperatures, and severe local flood disasters.”
According to the China Meteorological Administration’s forecast, the early part of the “May Day” holiday will see a cooling precipitation process in most parts of China, with May 2 expected to experience the strongest round of rainfall in southern regions. From May 1 to May 3, there will be widespread precipitation from west to east in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, eastern parts of the northwest, most of North China, Huang-Huai Region, and southern regions, accompanied by a temperature drop of 4℃ to 8℃, with localized drops exceeding 10℃. On May 2 to May 3, regions including Chongqing, southeastern Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, southern Anhui, northern Guangxi, and northeastern Guangdong will see heavy rain to torrential rain, with some areas experiencing short but intense rainfall, thunderstorm gusts, or hail.
Specifically, from 8 a.m. on May 1 to 8 a.m. on May 2, there will be locally heavy rain (50-65 mm) in central Chongqing. From 8 a.m. on May 2 to 8 a.m. on May 3, some areas in southern Hunan, central Jiangxi, and northeastern Guangxi will experience heavy or torrential rain (100-120 mm). From 8 a.m. on May 3 to 8 a.m. on May 4, there will be locally heavy rain (50-60 mm) in central and northwest Guangdong.
According to CCTV, since the start of the flood season, regions like Jiangnan and Hu…