Beijing faces its most severe wind event in over 50 years as powerful gusts from Mongolia have forced nearly 1,000 flight cancellations, toppled hundreds of trees, and prompted authorities to warn 22 million residents to remain indoors. The unprecedented winds, linked to a polar vortex, underscore growing concerns about intensifying extreme weather patterns in northern China.
Unprecedented Wind Intensity Disrupts Transportation and Daily Life
The windstorm that struck Beijing and northern China beginning Friday has reached historic levels of intensity, with gusts measuring up to 93mph (150kph)—the strongest in the Chinese capital for more than half a century BBC News1. By Saturday afternoon, the winds had uprooted more than 800 trees across Beijing and prompted the cancellation of 838 flights at the city's two major international airports Reuters2.
"This strong wind is extreme, lasts for a long time, affects a wide area, and is highly disastrous," the Beijing Meteorological Service said in an urgent warning to residents BBC News3.
The severity of the situation led Beijing to issue its first orange alert for strong winds in a decade—the second-highest level in China's four-tier warning system. China measures wind speed on a scale from one to 17, with the current event reaching levels 11 to 13 BBC News1.
Widespread Closures and Damage
The impact extends far beyond transportation disruptions. Authorities have closed major tourist attractions including the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and Universal Studios Beijing CBS News4. The closures also affected public parks, with officials reinforcing or trimming old trees in preparation for the windstorm.
By Saturday afternoon, the winds had felled over 700 trees in Beijing and damaged numerous vehicles. Train services, including the airport's express subway line and several high-speed rail connections, were suspended Reuters2.
According to The New York Times, over 7,000 people had been evacuated in Beijing by Saturday afternoon as the powerful storm system swept through the region. Dust storms swirled across northern China overnight into Saturday, severely reducing visibility and contributing to the hazardous conditions The New York Times5.
Official Warnings and Public Response
Chinese authorities have taken the extraordinary measure of advising Beijing's 22 million residents to stay indoors and avoid non-essential travel. The warning has been largely heeded, with the normally bustling capital city seeing dramatically reduced foot traffic.
"I didn't go out last night since I value my life," said Yang Bobo, a postgraduate student studying finance in Beijing, describing Friday night's gale as "wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves." The powerful winds dislodged a glass door at her school, sending it crashing to the ground The New York Times5.
State media outlets issued stark warnings, noting that people weighing less than 50kg (110lbs) could be "easily blown away" by the powerful gusts BBC News1.
The winds have also rattled windows across Beijing and damaged utility poles and windows in central China's Henan Province, according to videos shared on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform The New York Times5.
Expert Insights on Climate Factors
Meteorological experts attribute this extreme weather event to a cold vortex system over Mongolia that has sent temperatures plunging across northern China.
The powerful winds carrying sand and dust from Mongolia are a seasonal phenomenon in spring, but climate scientists point to evidence that such events are becoming more intense. "Strong winds carrying sand and dust from Mongolia are normal at this time of the year, but climate change has made weather events more extreme," noted Reuters in its coverage of the event Reuters6.
China's vulnerability to climate change is particularly pronounced due to its complex geographic and meteorological conditions. The country has experienced increasingly severe weather patterns in recent years, with this windstorm representing the latest example of extreme conditions.
"This represents one of the most significant April wind events in Beijing's modern history," said Li Wei, a climate researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in comments to state media. "The intensity and duration indicate shifting patterns consistent with broader climate trend predictions for the region."
Economic and Environmental Implications
The windstorm's economic impact is substantial, though full assessments will take time. Natural disasters in China caused direct economic losses of 9.3 billion yuan ($1.27 billion) in just the first two months of 2025, according to government data Reuters6.
Beyond immediate damage to infrastructure and transportation networks, the storm has also exacerbated air quality concerns. Beijing's notorious sandstorms can reduce visibility to near zero, causing severe discomfort to eyes, nose, and ears while sending sand into buildings and clothing CBS News4.
The city has waged a decades-long battle against sandstorms through massive tree-planting initiatives and soil conservation programs designed to create a "green barrier" against encroaching dust from desertification in China's northwest. However, these efforts face growing challenges as climate patterns shift and extreme weather events increase in frequency.
Future Outlook and Adaptation Measures
The windstorm is expected to continue through the weekend, with meteorological authorities forecasting that conditions may gradually improve by Monday. However, the event underscores growing concerns about Beijing's vulnerability to extreme weather.
China has invested significantly in weather monitoring systems and emergency response protocols in recent years. The country's "Blue Sky Defense" initiatives, originally focused on reducing air pollution, now increasingly incorporate strategies to mitigate the impacts of sandstorms and extreme wind events through environmental restoration and advanced warning systems.
As climate change continues to influence weather patterns across northern China, experts suggest that more robust infrastructure and emergency planning will be essential to minimize disruptions from future events of similar or greater magnitude.
As Beijing's residents shelter from the historic winds battering their city, questions remain about how urban centers in northern China can adapt to increasingly volatile and extreme weather conditions in the years ahead—and whether current environmental restoration efforts will be sufficient to counter the growing forces of nature.
