Typhoon Dolphin’s Impact on Central China

Xiangyang, China — On Tuesday, Typhoon Dolphin advanced further inland, reaching the central Chinese province of Hubei. Authorities responded by closing tourist sites and pausing construction projects as forecasters warned of potential extreme rainfall, especially in the province’s mountainous northwest.

Dolphin is the year’s strongest typhoon to hit China. The storm system traveled over 3,700 miles before hitting the land, drenching the eastern coast and bringing extensive cloud cover. In Hubei, known for its automotive and high-tech electronics industries and home to over 58 million people, two rare tornadoes struck last month following Typhoon Maysak, which caused at least 11 deaths.

People visited the Bund in heavy rain on Monday, a day following Typhoon Dolphin’s landfall in Shanghai. The National Meteorological Center maintained an orange alert for heavy rain, the second-highest level of warning. Northwestern Hubei could see up to 9.8 inches of rain within 24 hours.

Hubei authorities issued a yellow warning for cities such as Xiangyang, Huanggang, and Suizhou due to increased flooding and landslide risks. Scenic spots, including the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang, announced temporary closures. Out of 107 highway and waterway projects, 26 deemed high-risk have been halted.

According to Wang Xiaoling, deputy director of Hubei’s provincial meteorological observatory, Dolphin’s peripheral airflow will escalate as it hits Hubei’s western mountains, significantly intensifying the rainfall.

Neighboring Henan province has issued a red flash-flood alert as the storm steers moisture further north. The storm’s impact will extend to Beijing, located over 600 miles north of Hubei. Four districts on the city’s outskirts have activated Level I flood responses, anticipating a deluge amounting to over one-third of the city’s annual rainfall within a day starting late Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Japan braces for landslides, flooding, and strong winds, as Typhoon No. 15, Chan-hom, may cross Japan’s mainland according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.