Severe SDS Sweep Across Much of China

 A severe SDS originating from Mongolia engulfed vast stretches of China from April 10-13, affecting approximately 4.3 million square kilometers across 20 provinces. The worst-hit areas included western Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, central Gansu, and parts of Shaanxi (Yan'an, Yulin, Baoji), where visibility dropped below 500 meters during severe dust storms.

This sandstorm event was characterized by its extensive range, high intensity, and long duration., primarily due to the combined effects of an extremely strong pressure gradient and downward momentum transfer from the upper atmosphere, which resulted in rare gale-force winds in southern Mongolia and the central-western parts of Inner Mongolia. However, due to the influence of precipitation, the severe sandstorm mainly occurred in western Mongolia and the western part of China's Inner Mongolia. Carried by the wind, the dust spread downstream, affecting most of central and eastern China. reaching as far as Hainan, and widespread dust weather was also observed in Sichuan and Guizhou provinces. (reported by RSMC-ASDF BEIJING on 14th April).

Fig. 1.  Surface Dust Concentration Forecast