On May 3rd, heavy rain and strong winds hit Shenzhen, Guangdong, triggering an orange rainstorm warning in Longgang District and Pingshan District. The entire city is now on high alert for heavy rain.
In Shenzhen, the central and northern parts received rainfall ranging from 20 to 60 millimeters, with the northern part of Longgang District experiencing the highest rainfall of 67 millimeters. Accompanied by maximum gusts of around Beaufort scale 7 and scattered thunderstorms, the hourly rainfall intensity across the city ranged from 30 to 40 millimeters.
At 12:25 pm that day, the Shenzhen Meteorological Observatory issued a yellow rainstorm warning signal for the entire city, prompting authorities to declare a state of vigilance against the heavy rain. By 12:50 pm, the observatory reported intense rainfall in the past hour in Longgang District (Pindi, Longcheng, Longgang, and Baolong streets), predicting another 30-40 millimeters of precipitation in the next 1 to 2 hours. As a result, the rainstorm warning for the mentioned areas was upgraded from yellow to orange, and the entire city was put on high alert for heavy rain.
Subsequently, the observatory reported that Longgang District (Pinghu, Nanwan, Bantian, Buji, Henggang, Jihua, Yuanshan streets) and Pingshan District (Pingshan, Biling, Kengzi, and Longtian streets) had experienced heavy rainfall in the past 3 hours, with a further 30 millimeters of rainfall expected in the next 1 to 2 hours. At 2:40 pm, the rainstorm orange warning signal was expanded to cover these areas.
In the afternoon at 2 pm, a rain belt reached the Guangdong coast, bringing with it short-term heavy rainfall, lightning, strong winds, hail, and other severe convective weather conditions. Notably, Xuwen recorded 84.7 millimeters of rainfall within an hour.
The Guangdong Provincial Department of Emergency Management and the Department of Culture and Tourism stated that there would be significant rainfall events across much of Guangdong Province on May 3rd, with localized heavy or severe rain accompanied by thunderstorm winds of force 8 to 11. Small and medium-sized rivers might experience noticeable increases in water levels.
The topic labeled “Shenzhen Heavy Rain” has sparked discussions among local netizens.
Netizens commented on the situation, indicating that this is the first orange rainstorm warning of the year, expressing awe at the intensity of the rain in Longgang, and noting the inconvenience caused by the heavy rainfall in the city. Many individuals had to cancel outdoor plans, highlighting the impact of the rain on their May Day holiday activities. The unexpected downpour left many residents stranded indoors, with some likening the raindrops to snowflakes. It seems that the holiday in Shenzhen took an unexpected turn with the arrival of the heavy rainstorm on the third day.