BEIJING, Aug 12 (Reuters) – Typhoon Dolphin’s remnants channelled vast amounts of moisture into Beijing and the central province of Henan on Wednesday, as the capital braced to receive more than one-third of its average annual rainfall in 24 hours.
Dolphin, the strongest typhoon to hit China this year, has weakened after travelling more than 6,000 km (3,728 miles), but its remnants are drawing tropical moisture deep inland, raising the risk of flooding.
Rainfall records were shattered in parts of the central provinces of Henan and Hubei on Monday and Tuesday, state media reported. The city of Wugang, home to one of China’s largest steel companies, received 209.5 mm (8.2 inches) of rain, while Xiangyang received 169.1 mm (6.6 inches). Both totals broke single-day August precipitation records.
China, the world’s second-largest economy, is increasingly exposed to destructive weather events that scientists link to climate change. This year is proving particularly tough due to the emergence of the El Niño weather pattern that is driving up temperatures and fuelling more frequent and intense typhoons.
Beijing has put in place an orange rainstorm warning, its second-highest level, and suspended six bus routes as the deluge disrupted the morning rush hour.
Chinese meteorologists are reaching for a new generation of artificial intelligence weather models to bolster traditional forecasting systems to improve the country’s resilience to extreme weather.
Each year, extreme rainfall causes billions of dollars in economic losses as manufacturing is disrupted and crops are washed away.
(Reporting by Joe Cash; Editing by Jamie Freed)