During the Labor Day holiday, several areas in northwest China were hit by sandstorms. On May 3, many scenic spots in Gansu Province were closed, some entertainment activities were suspended, and temporary traffic control was imposed on all vehicles entering certain toll stations on highways. In the afternoon of May 3, the Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau initiated a level IV emergency response for significant meteorological protection (sandstorms).
According to reports from Chinese state media, on May 3, due to severe sandstorms and low visibility, the Yangguan and Yumen Pass scenic spots in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province successively issued announcements to temporarily close to the public. In the afternoon, the Mingsha Mountain Crescent Lake scenic spot in Dunhuang City issued an emergency notice stating that the wind was strong within the scenic area, visibility was low, and certain entertainment activities were halted temporarily, including adjustments to the popular “Ten Thousand People Starry Sky Singing” event.
Reports mentioned that when the strong winds and sandstorms hit, the western section of the Hexi Corridor was shrouded in a thick veil of sand, causing sunlight to dim in the hazy dust, with some urban buildings and rural landscapes appearing as blurred outlines. In the afternoon of May 3, the Gansu Provincial Meteorological Bureau activated a level IV emergency response for significant meteorological protection (sandstorms).
Due to the impact of strong winds and sandstorm weather, by the evening of May 3, temporary traffic control was implemented for all vehicles entering the toll stations at G3011 Liuge Expressway in Dunhuang, Dunhuang West, and Dunhuang North; and at the S63 Liudun Expressway Shazhou toll station entrance.
As of 5:00 PM, Jinchang and Wuwei in Gansu Province had issued a yellow sandstorm alert: it was expected that from the night of May 3 to the day of May 4, the two cities would experience sandstorms with visibility less than 1000 meters, and there would also be severe sandstorms with visibility less than 500 meters in some areas along the sandy regions.
On May 4, the China Meteorological Administration continued to issue a blue alert for sandstorms. From the night of May 4 to May 6, some areas in Southern Xinjiang Basin, Central and Western Inner Mongolia, Eastern Northwest China, Southern North China, Huang-Huai Region, Jiang-Huai Region, and other regions would experience sandstorms or dusty weather. Among them, in some areas of Southern Xinjiang Basin, Central and Western Inner Mongolia, Western Gansu, Ningxia, and Northwestern Shaanxi, there would be sandstorms, with some areas experiencing severe sandstorms.
On the morning of May 4, there was snow and ice on the road at the junction of Zhangye and Jinchang in Gansu. The Xiuhuamiao section of the Lianhuo Expressway experienced snow accumulation of about 1 centimeter thick.
In the afternoon and evening of May 4, Ganzhou, Gaotai, and Linze were cloudy, while Shandan, Minle, and Sunan experienced cloudy skies turning into light snow. From the early morning to the afternoon of May 5, Ganzhou, Gaotai, Linze, and Shandan were overcast with light snow, and Minle and Sunan were overcast with light to moderate snow. The accumulated snowfall during this period was 0.5 to 4mm, with snow depth ranging from 0 to 2cm.