Beicology: All About the Heavy Rains We've Been Having

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It's been three days of rain in the capital, with Beijing issuing a red alert for rainstorms from Sunday into today. Although after the recent bout of heat the city went through, the last few days of rain have been a bit nice. The question is, though, why all the sudden rain? You have Typhoon Doksuri to thank for that. The typhoon is responsible for drenching parts of northern China, including Beijing, after the storm swept into the country on Jul 28.

The typhoon has left behind a low-pressure area after subsiding, with this void of sorts promptly being filled by warm and humid air from nearby hot spots (subtropical highs). This in turn has triggered relentless downpours in the capital.

The city witnessed an intense bout of rainfall from the evening of Jul 29-30, with the city's average precipitation reaching 89.6mm. Initially, an orange alert was issued for rainstorms across Beijing at approximately 11.45am local time on Saturday. However, as per Xinhua, the provincial meteorological bureau later escalated the warning to the aforementioned red alert in anticipation of rainstorms over the subsequent three days.

When will the rain stop?

As per the meteorological department's forecast, we are amidst a prolonged period of consistent rainfall. This rainfall, which began on the evening of Jul 29, is forecast to continue until tomorrow (Aug 1) at 10pm, covering a span of four days in its entirety.

Beginning from Jul 29, Beijing was anticipated to be in the crosshairs of a heavy downpour, punctuated by bouts of lightning and intense precipitation.

From now until tomorrow evening, Beijing is expected to be shrouded by constant rain. This interval represents the peak of rainfall, revealing the most intense and voluminous precipitation the city is likely to encounter. Additionally, the western and southern districts of the capital are forecasted to witness substantial downpours, with the rainfall occurring intermittently.

As we approach Aug 1, the rain is predicted to enter its final phase, transitioning to a pattern of light to moderate rainfall across Beijing, after which it's expected to gradually subside.

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In which specific region of Beijing was the rainfall most intense?

As of today, Jul 31, meteorological records indicate that the southwestern regions of the capital, specifically districts like Mentougou, Fangshan, and the western part of Haidian, were severely affected by heavy rain. The district of Fangshan bore the brunt of the storm with an exceptional rainfall accumulation of 500.4mm, giving it the title of "region that's received the heaviest rains."

Does Beijing frequently experience the effects of typhoons?

Uncommonly, Beijing finds itself under the influence of rain induced by typhoons. According to meteorological data, a mere 12 instances of low-pressure zones have been observed, resulting from weakening typhoons passing near or directly over Beijing.

Among these, Typhoon Wanda, which made landfall in Zhejiang on Aug 1, 1956, had the most significant impact. This typhoon ushered in a deluge of rain to Beijing, pushing the city's average precipitation levels beyond the 200mm mark.

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As we navigate through these rainy days, it's important to prioritize your safety and well-being and remember to stay dry!

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Images: Unsplash

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