Xiamen Continues to Experience Heavy Rainfall Despite Typhoon’s Departure
Xiamen, a city in China’s Fujian province, continues to feel the impact of Typhoon “Du Su Rui” even after its departure. Although the numbering of the typhoon stopped at 11 am yesterday, the city is still experiencing heavy rain due to the airflow behind the typhoon. This has resulted in a continuous convective rainfall cloud belt affecting the coastal areas of Fujian. Several sites in Xiamen have broken historical records for precipitation during this period.
The meteorological department has forecasted that the city will receive a significant amount of rain for the next three days. They advise citizens to prepare rain gear and remain cautious. Monitoring data shows that Xiamen experienced a general rainstorm yesterday, with heavy rainstorms in some areas. The heaviest rainfall was recorded at Bougainvillea Park in Xiang’an District, with a cumulative precipitation of 231.2 mm.
The impact of the typhoon has primarily focused on the northeast of Xiamen. The top five stations with the highest precipitation are all located in Xiang’an District. These stations have set historical extreme values for the same period, indicating the severity of the rainfall. Bougainvillea Park recorded the heaviest rain, with a cumulative precipitation of 473.3 millimeters from 00:00 on the 28th to 12:00 on the 29th. During one hour, the park experienced 93.8 millimeters of rainfall.
For the next three days, Xiamen will continue to experience precipitation due to the influence of the southwest monsoon. Today, the city is expected to have cloudy conditions with heavy rain and thunderstorms. Tomorrow and the day after, thunderstorms are expected, with temperatures ranging from 30°C to 32°C, creating relatively comfortable weather conditions.
Meteorological experts emphasize that although heavy precipitation may cease, it does not eliminate the potential for secondary disasters such as mountain torrents, urban and rural waterlogging, landslides, and mudslides. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant and take precautions to mitigate these risks. The geological effects of areas with significant previous precipitation should be a particular focus for disaster prevention.
Chen Dehua, director of the Municipal Meteorological Observatory, explained why heavy precipitation continues even after the typhoon has moved away. He cited the “train effect” caused by a typhoon’s wake or “small tail.” The wake consists of a series of precipitation clouds that successively affect the same area, similar to carriages passing on a train track. More clouds result in greater precipitation, leading to continuous heavy rainfall in the same place.
During the typhoon, a long wake cloud system forms on the right rear side. When Typhoon “Du Su Rui” landed in Fujian and moved northward, the wake was dragged by its powerful spiral cloud system. This wake, entrenched along the coast of Fujian from southwest to northeast, continuously brings heavy precipitation to the region, including Xiamen. The continuous delivery of water vapor from the southwest airflow further contributes to the heavy rainfall.
In addition to the weather forecast, the article also provides key ocean-related information such as high tide and low tide times, surface water temperature, and wave heights in the southern waters of Xiamen Island.
As Xiamen braves the prolonged rainfall, citizens are urged to stay safe and take necessary precautions to prevent any potential disasters.
Source: Xiamen Meteorological WeChat Official Account