Recently, the southern region of China has been hit by severe convective weather, heavy rainfall, hail, and other extreme conditions, leading to multiple incidents of danger. In Guangdong Province, as of Saturday (April 20), 32 hydrological stations have exceeded the alert water level, and it is predicted that some rivers will experience peak flow rates reaching a 50-year high.
According to China Weather Network reports, on the afternoon of April 20, Guangzhou was suddenly engulfed by a dark thunderstorm. The gloomy thunderclouds swallowed the sky, resembling a black curtain being drawn across, with city buildings and roads descending into darkness before the lights even had a chance to come on.
By 12:48 pm on April 20, Guangzhou Baiyun Airport had more than 105 passenger flights delayed for over an hour and still grounded, with widespread flight delays leading to the emergency response level being raised to orange. On the 19th, Baiyun Airport activated a red alert for widespread flight delays for the first time this year.
Additionally, due to heavy rainfall, on April 20th, some conventional speed trains passing through Shaoguan and Yingde on the Beijing-Guangzhou Line were either suspended or diverted.
The Guangdong Provincial Hydrological Bureau announced on April 20 that due to the heavy rainfall, by 2 pm that day, 32 hydrological stations in the province had surpassed the alert water level.
Officials forecast that from April 21 to 22, flood peak flow rates reaching a 50-year high are expected at water stations such as Lianjiang Gaodao (Angba) and Feilaixia along the Beijiang River tributary.
Since April, the cumulative rainfall in the northern part of South China and the central and eastern regions of Jiangnan has generally reached 200 to 350 millimeters, with some areas exceeding 400 millimeters; Guangdong in the central and northern parts, the northern parts of Guangxi, the southern parts of Hunan, and the southern parts of Jiangxi have seen rainfall 1 to 3 times higher than the same period in previous years.
The China Meteorological Administration predicts that from daytime to nighttime on April 20th, there will be heavy to torrential rain in southern Guizhou, southern Jiangnan, most of South China, and central Chongqing, with parts of southern Hunan, southern Jiangxi, southwestern Fujian, eastern Guangxi, and central-northern Guangdong experiencing heavy rain, while the northwest of Guangxi and western-northern Guangdong may see localized intense rain (250 to 280 millimeters); in some areas, the hourly rainfall may exceed 50 millimeters, with localized amounts surpassing 80 millimeters.
Moreover, certain areas in southern Hunan, central and southern Jiangxi, southwestern Fujian, southwestern Guizhou, southeastern Yunnan, northwestern and central-eastern Guangxi, central and western-northern Guangdong are expected to experience severe thunderstorm winds of up to 8 to 10 on the Beaufort scale or hailstorms, with localized areas facing winds of over 10 on Beaufort scale.
Notably, Jiangxi Province is known for its high lightning activity and severe thunderstorms. From late March to mid-April this year, Jiangxi Province has been experiencing frequent and intense thunderstorms as well as strong convective weather such as hail and short-term heavy rainfall. To date, there have been 5 regional severe convective weather events in Jiangxi Province, with several sites recording peak wind speeds breaking historical records.
According to incomplete statistics, since late March, Jiangxi has experienced 21 lightning disaster incidents, with 8 occurring in rural areas and 13 in urban areas, resulting in damage to power facilities, electrical and electronic equipment, and buildings. Among the 4 instances of lightning disaster incidents, 3 deaths and 3 injuries have been reported, all occurring in April.
On the night of April 19, hail the size of chicken eggs, with a diameter of 35 millimeters, hit Zhemiao Village in Tianlin County, Baise City. In addition, there have been reports of landslides and flash floods in regions such as Hezhou City in Guangxi.