More dusty weather for northern areas

VISIBILITY was low in Beijing yesterday and the municipal observatory hoisted a blue alert on dust weather.

The blue alert, the lowest level in the four-tier weather alert system, was issued at 5:35am by the Beijing Meteorological Service. It said the floating dust and sand were blown in from Mongolia.

Meanwhile, the national weather observatory continued its blue alert for sandstorms yesterday, forecasting wind and dust for north China.

From last night to today, parts of Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Shaanxi and Xinjiang will be affected by the dust, said the National Meteorological Center and areas of Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Gansu will be swept by sandstorms.

Since Monday, the country’s northern areas have witnessed their fourth wave of dusty weather this year, affecting more than nine provincial-level regions and covering an area of 1.5 million square kilometers, the center’s data showed.

The sandstorms led to serious air pollution yesterday.

Beijing, however, has been making huge efforts in greening and pollution reduction in recent years. It plans to add about 15,300 hectares of forest this year.

The capital will expand greenery near its new airport and venues for the 2022 Winter Olympics.