China issues fog, rainstorm and sandstorm warnings across multiple regions

The National Meteorological Center issued three weather warnings on Tuesday, as different parts of China brace for conditions ranging from dense fog to torrential rain and sandstorms.

Dense fog is expected to affect eastern and northern coastal waters. A yellow fog warning, the least severe in China's three-tier warning system for fog, has been issued. From daytime to nighttime on Tuesday, dense fog with visibility of less than 1 kilometer is expected in the Bohai Sea, Bohai Strait, most of the Yellow Sea, the northwestern East China Sea, and coastal waters off the Liaodong Peninsula, Shandong Peninsula, eastern Jiangsu province, the Yangtze River Estuary, Hangzhou Bay and the Zhoushan Islands, the center said.

Meanwhile, a blue rainstorm warning, the lowest level in China's four-tier warning system, was issued. From Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning, heavy rain is expected in parts of southern and central China, including eastern Guizhou province, most of Hunan province, western and central Jiangxi province, and northeastern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Some areas in southwestern and central-eastern Hunan, western Jiangxi and northeastern Guangxi are expected to experience rainstorms with precipitation ranging from 50 to 80 millimeters. Some of these regions may also see short-term heavy rainfall, with maximum hourly precipitation reaching 20 to 40 mm and exceeding 50 mm in some locations, accompanied by severe convective weather such as thunderstorms, gales and hail.

A blue sandstorm warning, also the lowest level in the four-tier warning system, was announced as well. Driven by strong winds associated with a cold air mass, drifting sand and dust are expected to affect parts of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Gansu province, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and the Ningxia Hui autonomous region from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning.

Weather China, a website affiliated with the China Meteorological Administration, warned on Tuesday that regions south of the Yangtze River and southern China will see frequent rainfall over the next three days, with risks of thunderstorms, urban flooding and mountain torrents.

Starting on Friday, a broader rain band is expected to sweep from Northeast China to South China.