Typhoon Dolphin's vast storm system pushes inland, threatens central China

Typhoon Dolphin, the strongest to hit China this year, brought its vast storm system deep into the central Chinese province of Hubei on Tuesday. The powerful weather system prompted the closure of tourist areas and the suspension of construction projects due to concerns over extreme rainfall in Hubei's mountainous northwest. Originating from the country's eastern coast, Dolphin traveled a remarkable 6,000 km before making landfall, accompanied by a massive cloud field.

Hubei, a major hub for automobile and high-tech electronics manufacturing and home to over 58 million people, became the storm's primary target. Last month, the province experienced two rare tornadoes in the aftermath of Typhoon Maysak, which resulted in at least 11 deaths. On Tuesday, the National Meteorological Center issued an orange alert for heavy rain, the second-highest warning level, with northwestern Hubei expected to receive up to 250 mm of rain within a 24-hour period.

Authorities in Hubei have issued a yellow warning for cities such as Xiangyang, Huanggang, and Suizhou, indicating a heightened risk of flooding and landslides. Popular scenic areas across the province, including the Three Gorges Dam tourist area in Yichang, have temporarily closed their gates. Of the 107 major highway and waterway construction projects underway in Hubei, 26 high-risk projects have been suspended.

As Dolphin's peripheral airflow encounters the mountains in Hubei's western region, it will cause rainfall to intensify several times over, according to Wang Xiaoling, deputy director of Hubei's provincial meteorological observatory. In neighboring Henan province, authorities have issued a red flash-flood alert as the storm continues to channel moisture northward.

The storm's reach will extend as far north as Beijing, more than 1,000 km away from Hubei. Four districts on the outskirts of Beijing have activated Level I emergency flood responses, anticipating more than one-third of the city's annual rainfall to fall within a 24-hour period starting late on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Japan is also preparing for potential landslides, flooding, and strong winds as Typhoon No. 15, Chan-hom, is expected to move across the country's mainland later on Tuesday.