June’s weather in Beijing has been marked by frequent precipitation, high humidity, low temperatures, and poor sunshine. This weather pattern persisted until the very end of the month. Reporters learned that another round of heavy rainfall is brewing today, expected to begin in the evening and continue through the morning tomorrow. At present, there are forecasted to be two more rainy days next week, with temperatures rising significantly later in the week. Meteorological experts stated that the city has now entered the frequent thunderstorm season, and residents should pay close attention to upcoming weather forecasts.
June’s weather in Beijing felt like a “Qiong Yao drama”
Today, the capital was influenced by low-level easterly winds, resulting in high air humidity, lingering light haze, and poor visibility. The maximum afternoon temperature was suppressed below 30°C, making it slightly less muggy than yesterday. From this evening through tomorrow morning, the city is expected to experience relatively strong thunderstorms, with highly uneven rainfall distribution. The northern regions will see relatively heavier rain, with accumulated rainfall reaching 30 to 50 millimeters and peak hourly rainfall intensity possibly hitting 20 to 30 millimeters. Local areas may also experience short-term strong winds or hail. Meteorological experts advise the public to guard against the adverse effects of rainfall on traffic. Mountainous areas should be wary of potential geological disasters caused by short-term heavy rain. Additionally, as the rain is accompanied by thunder and lightning, and some areas may face wind and hail, special precautions should be taken against lightning and wind-hail hazards.
Beijing’s entire June weather felt like a scene from a “Qiong Yao drama,” shrouded in clouds, fog, rain, and sleet. Typically, June in Beijing is characterized by high temperatures, many hot days, and predominantly sunny and hot weather. But this year has been the opposite — rainfall has come relentlessly, accompanied by persistent haze, making sunshine a luxury this month. Even the official Weibo account of the China Meteorological Administration composed a poem lamenting the continuous rain and fog in the capital: “Mist spreads wide, haze adds chaos, for months the land is drenched in filth; the sky is not blue, the heart is vexed, tomorrow when you open the window, the blur remains — regret, regret, regret. Clouds veil the sky, rain falls in sheets, mistaking the capital for Jiangnan; thunder roars, lightning splits the sky, just as one bout ends, another quickly appears — sigh, sigh, sigh.” Data shows that Beijing’s June precipitation this year was about 65% higher than the long-term average, with an average relative humidity nearing 70%, significantly higher than usual. The average temperature was 23.4°C, 1.3°C lower than the long-term average for the same period, while sunshine conditions were markedly poorer, with multiple days seeing near-zero sunshine hours and sometimes several consecutive days without any sunlight.
The usual “late July to early August” rainy season arrives early this year
Beijing’s main flood season is from late July to early August, commonly referred to as “late July to early August.” So why did the rains arrive early this year? Meteorological experts explained that this is related to the recent stable upper-air airflow over Beijing and the continuous presence of easterly winds near the surface. In recent times, the upper air over Beijing has mainly seen westerly winds, with no significant interference from strong cold air, though occasional weak cold air masses have appeared. These weak cold air masses are not enough to cause significant clashes between warm and cold air to alter the weather pattern, but they do increase air humidity. Meanwhile, near-surface winds have mainly been easterly, blowing moisture from the Bohai Sea and Yellow Sea inland. Coupled with Beijing’s unique geography surrounded by mountains on three sides, moist air is not easily dispersed, creating the “either rain or fog” weather conditions of the past month. In addition, Beijing has occasionally been affected by weak weather systems, which have also created favorable conditions for rainfall. Take the past two days as an example — it was under the influence of a weak cold low vortex in central and eastern Mongolia that Beijing experienced consecutive showers.
Two more rounds of rain expected this week
Will Beijing continue to experience its rainy weather pattern in the coming period of July? Regarding this, meteorological experts explained that at present, Beijing is still expected to have rain this week, but the distribution will be uneven and the total rainfall for each process won’t be particularly high. This type of precipitation is clearly different from the characteristics of rainfall during the main flood season. As for whether rainfall during this year’s main flood season will exceed the long-term average, experts said it is still too early to tell. Meteorological departments will closely monitor changes in cloud patterns and provide timely forecasts. The public is also reminded to keep an eye on upcoming weather forecasts.
At present, influenced by a continuously eastward-moving upper-level trough weather system, there will still be two more rounds of rainfall next week. The first round is expected on July 1st, with relatively heavy rainfall; the second is on July 4th, mainly featuring thunderstorms. Among these, the rainfall on July 1st is expected to be sudden, localized, and extremely uneven in distribution, so extra precautions are needed.