Chinese meteorological authorities have initiated a Level-IV emergency response protocol on Friday as multiple northern provinces face imminent severe weather conditions. The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) announced the activation following forecasts predicting intense wind patterns and widespread sandstorms across northern territories from February 21st to 23rd, 2026.
The National Meteorological Center concurrently issued yellow-level warnings for both strong winds and sandstorm events, supplemented by a blue alert for an approaching cold wave system. Affected regions include Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Gansu Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province, Shaanxi Province, along with northern China, northeastern areas, and the Shandong Peninsula.
Meteorological experts indicate these powerful wind currents will likely generate substantial blowing sand and floating dust particles across the mentioned regions and northern Henan Province. Certain areas are projected to experience full sandstorm conditions, with some locations facing severe sandstorm intensity.
China’s sophisticated weather response mechanism operates through a four-tier classification system where red denotes the most critical conditions, followed by orange, yellow, and blue alerts. Similarly, the emergency response framework follows a four-level structure with Level I representing the highest emergency status. The current Level-IV activation demonstrates coordinated preparedness measures against potentially disruptive meteorological phenomena that could impact transportation, air quality, and daily activities across northern population centers.