On Friday (April 11), the Beijing Central Meteorological Observatory issued rare simultaneous warnings for severe convective weather, strong winds, snowstorms, heavy rain, and sandstorms. A powerful windstorm hit Beijing and Hebei, with netizens describing the situation as terrifying like a disaster movie. Meanwhile, many parts of the country experienced strong winds, thunderstorms, hail, and extreme weather. On Saturday, four warnings were still in effect, with the heavy rain warning removed.
According to CCTV reports, the Beijing Central Meteorological Observatory continued to issue orange warnings for strong winds, yellow warnings for severe convective weather, yellow warnings for snowstorms, and blue warnings for sandstorms at 6 a.m. on Saturday (April 12).
The strong winds in Beijing continued, with gusts reaching 8 to 11 on the plains and above 13 in mountainous areas by 1:14 on April 12. The highest wind gust in the city was recorded at 45.2 meters per second (14 levels) at Mount Meiguiyuan in Mentougou (mountain station), while in the plains, the highest gust was 28.7 meters per second (11 levels) at Machikou in Changping. Due to the transport of dust from upstream, there was dust weather with an increase in PM10 concentration.
Previously, on April 10, the Beijing Meteorological Observatory issued an orange wind warning signal, the first of its kind in the city in nearly a decade.
From April 11 to 13, influenced by a strong cold air mass, northern China experienced rare, sustained strong winds for this time period in history. This event had a wide impact, lasting a long time, with some areas experiencing extreme and catastrophic effects.
China’s national standards classify wind levels into 18 grades, with level 8 being considered “strong wind” capable of breaking tree branches. Level 10 wind is termed “violent wind” and can uproot trees and blow down buildings. Wind levels exceeding 12 are rarely seen on land, and when wind reaches this strength, it signifies “extreme destruction” for land objects. Experts warned that people weighing less than 100 pounds could easily be blown away by the wind and advised against going outdoors.
Beijing Daily reported that on the morning and noon of April 11, western Inner Mongolia and parts of Gansu had gusts of 9 to 10 levels, and gusts of level 8 had reached northern Shanxi, central Inner Mongolia, and northwest Hebei. Datong in Shanxi experienced gusts of level 8 between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. The wind in Zhangjiakou would intensify in the afternoon, with Beijing’s wind strength increasing after 8 p.m.
From 9 to 10 p.m. on April 11, parts of Beijing including Yanqing, Changping, Mentougou, Fangshan, Haidian, and Shijingshan had gusts of level 8 or higher, with local areas in mountainous regions reaching level 13. The highest gusts were recorded in Mentougou’s Mount Meiguiyuan at level 13.
On the night of April 11, strong winds of level 8 hit many areas in Beijing, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning.
Videos of the strong winds circulating on social media show yellow sand swirling in the air, roadside vendor tents being overturned, and people seeking shelter inside vehicles. Some netizens described the situation as terrifying, akin to a “disaster movie.”
In Shijiazhuang, Hebei, vehicles seemed unable to move on the streets, trash cans were walking on the streets, giant archways on pedestrian streets were blown down, greenhouse structures were dismantled, bonsai trees were toppled, and garbage was flying everywhere.
Many residents in Beijing left their work to stock up on supplies at supermarkets.
Some parks, scenic spots, museums, memorials, and universities in Beijing had adjusted their opening hours or closed temporarily on April 11. Multiple flights at Beijing Capital International Airport were delayed or canceled. The “2025 Beijing Yizhuang Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon,” originally scheduled for April 13, was postponed to April 19.
On April 11, a powerful windstorm swept through half of China, not only affecting northern regions but also causing rare weather events in the south including the Sichuan Basin, Jiangnan, and South China.
The Henan Meteorological Bureau announced on April 12 that from 6 a.m. on April 11 to 6 a.m. on April 12, most parts of Henan province experienced gusts of level 8 to 10, with some areas reaching levels of 11 to 13 and the maximum wind force reaching level 15, breaking or surpassing historical extreme values for April at 40 national stations.
In some areas of Inner Mongolia, large trees and tall walls were blown down by the strong winds, causing injuries to multiple people. Hailstorms also occurred in many parts of southern China.
On April 11, influenced by intense cold air from the north, Wuhan and several cities across China experienced extreme weather conditions including strong winds, heavy rain, and hail. Following a downpour in Wuhan, the city was flooded, with cars floating on elevated roads. The city’s infrastructure was severely impacted, leading to widespread failures of drainage systems. Drivers were criticizing the government for its incompetence.
Videos captured by netizens showed misty waterspouts hovering between buildings during severe convective weather in Hubei.
Shanghai experienced sudden severe convective weather on April 11, with localized short-duration heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms of level 8 to 10, and the gusts in the Yangshan Port area reaching level 11. The cold air caused a “cliff-like” drop in temperatures.
Guizhou experienced strong winds, thunderstorms, and hail.
Anhui’s Hefei and southern Anhui areas encountered severe convective weather, with hail hitting the Dabie Mountains area. The Hefei South Station witnessed several high-speed train delays due to temporary closures on the He’an Expressway.
Online videos showed heavy winds and rain with hail in Huanggang, Hubei, submerging vehicles. Locals exclaimed, “Look, all these on top are hailstones!” “It’s too terrifying.”
Shenzhen issued a severe convective weather warning, with short-term hail reported in areas like Longgang and Pingshan, with hailstones approximately 1 centimeter in diameter. Guangzhou Railway Group suspended the operation of regular-speed trains from Shenzhen to Changde, Songtao, and other directions.
Recently, various anomalies have been observed in many parts of China, in addition to the unprecedented strong winds, including earthquakes, epidemics, multiple suns, blood-red skies, bamboo flowering, among others. In traditional Chinese culture, these anomalies are seen as omens of significant events or dynastic changes occurring in the world.