China Severe Weather From Typhoon Dolphin Grounds 943 Flights in Shanghai

China severe weather from Typhoon Dolphin, the strongest storm to hit China this year, made landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday evening, bringing heavy rain, flooding streets in Shanghai, grounding nearly 40 percent of flights there, and prompting the evacuation of more than a million people. [1]

Landfall and Immediate Impact

Typhoon Dolphin made landfall in Zhejiang province on Sunday evening with maximum sustained winds of 151 kph near its centre before weakening to a tropical storm. [2] The storm triggered a top-level alert over the weekend, prompting over 1,000 flight cancellations and tens of thousands of evacuations across affected areas. [3] Authorities in eastern and southern Zhejiang issued their most severe flash flood alert on Monday. [3] Some cities in the region resumed public transport services on Monday morning as the system lost power. [3] Zhejiang’s Ningbo international airport planned to resume flight operations from midday Monday but warned that some journeys could still face delays. [3] Provincial capital Hangzhou resumed subway services on Monday after halting some train operations on Sunday. [3] The weather system made two landfalls along the coast of Zhejiang on Sunday. [3]

Flooding and Disruptions in Shanghai

Shanghai’s two airports cancelled 943 flights on Monday, reducing capacity by nearly 40 percent. [2] Of these, 642 cancellations occurred at Pudong airport and 301 at Hongqiao. [4] Many streets in Shanghai, including in the main commercial centres and suburban Jiading and Qingpu districts, experienced knee-high flooding. [2] Residents reported that it rained almost all night, leaving neighbourhoods and streets severely waterlogged. [2] One 39-year-old sales worker in Jiading described the flooding as the first such widespread inconvenience from a typhoon in her 10 years living in Shanghai. [2] A 70-year-old shop owner in the city said he had never experienced flooding like this. [4] Shanghai’s flood control headquarters warned that some parts of the city might see accumulated water of up to 30cm. [4] Orange and yellow rainstorm alerts were issued for multiple districts. [4] Public transport services, including many local trains, were suspended in the financial hub. [3] Non-essential businesses and organisations in Shanghai’s Jinshan district could temporarily halt operations, classes, outdoor events and transit services. [2]

Typhoon Dolphin brings heavy rain and flooding to streets in Shanghai. — Source: korea-herald

Ongoing Rain and Warnings in Eastern and Central China

Torrential rain and storms in Typhoon Dolphin’s wake inundated several provinces in China’s east, drenching the coastal region. [2] Its remaining rain clouds continued to soak the eastern provinces including Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong on Monday. [2] China’s National Meteorological Center issued its least severe typhoon alert on Monday morning. [3] The NMC warned that parts of east and central China would continue to receive heavy rain for the next day. [3] Powerful winds and lashing rain flipped over a truck in Zhejiang’s Wenzhou. [2]

Northern Advance and Beijing Preparations

The strongest typhoon to hit China this year, Dolphin is forecast to move deeper inland to the central provinces of Hubei and Henan in the coming days while also pushing moisture north. [2] Authorities in the capital Beijing raised warnings for torrential rain and said the city was prepared to activate its flood control response on Tuesday morning. [2] Beijing is expected to experience significant rainfall from Tuesday until Thursday, with authorities warning of the risk of flash floods in the city and landslides in the surrounding mountainous areas. [2] Five districts in Beijing issued red alerts for heavy rain on Monday, with some warning of landslide and flooding risks. [3] As the storm clouds meet colder air in the north, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei will need to brace for heavy rain into Thursday. [2]

Typhoon Dolphin brings heavy rain and flooding to streets in Shanghai. — Source: channelnewsasia

Storm Characteristics and Comparisons

The typhoon had already travelled 6,000 km before it made landfall, giving it a life-cycle three times longer than an ordinary typhoon and bringing with it an ultra-large cloud system that enveloped China’s east. [2] Dolphin’s impact was also being compared to Doksuri in 2023. [2] That typhoon crossed the country after causing destruction in southeastern Fujian province, unleashing record-breaking rainfall in Beijing. [2] TSR said it expected the 2026 northwest Pacific typhoon season to be one of the most active on record with 28 tropical storms, 20 typhoons and 13 intense typhoons. [2] The ongoing strong El Niño event, high activity to date and weaker-than-normal trade winds across the northwest Pacific basin were cited as key reasons for the intensity of the typhoon season. [2]

Broader Context of Recent Extreme Weather

It came two weeks after Typhoon Noul struck southern Guangdong province, with authorities saying at the time that it was the strongest storm to hit China this year. [3] Extreme weather also wreaked havoc on southern and central China last month, with 39 people killed when Typhoon Maysak triggered devastating floods in the southern Guangxi region. [3] Maysak also caused thunderstorms and gale-force winds that killed 11 people and injured 331 in the central province of Hubei. [3] Scientists warn the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up because of fossil fuel emissions. [3] China is the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, but it is also a global renewable energy powerhouse that aims to make its massive economy carbon-neutral by 2060. [3]

What to watch next: Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei will need to brace for heavy rain into Thursday as storm clouds meet colder air in the north.