When are the seasons for sandstorms in Beijing?

Beijing sandstorms usually occur in March and April in spring, December in winter and January of the following year.

Due to the scarcity of vegetation, more sandy soil, and frequent cold waves and strong winds in the northern and northwest regions of my country, sandstorms are prone to occur in relatively dry springs. Therefore, the most frequent seasons for sandstorms in Beijing should be winter and spring. At 7:25 on March 15, 2021, Beijing upgraded and issued a yellow sandstorm warning signal. Obvious sand and dust weather has occurred in Beijing. It is expected that the visibility will be less than 1,000m in most areas until noon on the 15th.

At 06:50 on March 16, 2021, the Beijing Meteorological Observatory lifted the yellow sandstorm warning signal. Affected by the Mongolian cyclone and cold air winds, on the night of March 14, 2021, large-scale sandstorms, blowing sand, and floating dust occurred in the area from central and western Inner Mongolia to northwest Hebei. The visibility was about 1 kilometer, and locally less than 300 meters. Affected by the upstream dust transport, on the morning of March 15, 2021, the PM10 concentration in Beijing increased significantly, and a sandstorm occurred.

Causes for the formation of sandstorms

Weather conditions that are conducive to strong winds or strong winds, favorable sand and dust source distribution and favorable air instability conditions are the main reasons for the formation of sandstorms or strong sandstorms . Strong wind is the driving force for sandstorms, and sand and dust sources are the material basis of sandstorms. Unstable thermal conditions are conducive to the increase in wind power and the development of strong convection, thereby entraining more sand and dust and carrying it higher.

In addition, early drought and lack of rain, warm weather, and rising temperatures are the special weather background for the formation of sandstorms. The development of convective cells in front of the ground cold front into clouds or squall lines is conducive to the development of sandstorms. and strengthen small and medium-scale systems. The terrain conditions that are conducive to the increase of wind speed, that is, the narrow tube effect, are one of the favorable conditions for the formation of sandstorms.

Reference for the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia—Beijing