July 2016 North China cyclone

The July 2016 North China cyclone was a devastating extratropical cyclone which produced torrential precipitation and caused widespread flash floods over North China and portions of nearby regions, resulting in at least 184 deaths and ¥33.19 billion (US$4.96 billion) of damage in China.^[2][3]

July 2016 North China cyclone

The extratropical cyclone at peak intensity over North China on July 20, 2016
Meteorological history
Formed	July 16, 2016
Dissipated	July 21, 2016
Extratropical cyclone
Lowest pressure	994 hPa (mbar); 29.35 inHg
Maximum rainfall	881 mm (34.69 in)[1]
Overall effects
Fatalities	184
Missing	130
Damage	$4.96 billion (2016 USD)(Preliminary total)
Areas affected	Central, North, Northeast and Southwest China

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

Map key

Saffir–Simpson scale

  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown

Storm type

Tropical cyclone

Subtropical cyclone

Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

The meiyu front persisted over the region between Huai River and Yangtze during mid-July 2016 since the dissipation of Typhoon Nepartak.^[4] Meanwhile, the subtropical ridge over the northwest Pacific Ocean was located unusually southward and westward, which blocked the Southwest Monsoon and made it completely flow into mainland China.^[5] On July 19, as the westerlies collided with the strong Southwest Monsoon, cyclogenesis began within the front and formed an extratropical cyclone over Henan, China at around 20:00 CST (12:00 UTC).^[6] The cyclone quickly reached peak intensity at around 02:00 CST (18:00 UTC) on July 20, with the central pressure at 994 hPa (29.35 inHg).^[7] Drifting north-northeastward with surface sustained winds below gale-force, the system started to weaken slowly in the province of Hebei after 14:00 CST (06:00 UTC) and occluded right before 02:00 CST (18:00 UTC) on July 21, owing to the disconnection from the Southwest Monsoon.^[8][9][10] It became almost stationary near Beijing until it dissipated after 20:00 CST (12:00 UTC) on July 21.^[11]

Impact

A muddy village in Xingtai

Throughout the municipalities of Beijing, Chongqing and Tianjin as well as the provinces of Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan and Yunnan, the extratropical cyclone brought torrential rainfalls and caused severe flash floods, which affected 15,597,000 people, with 184 deaths, 130 missing and ¥33.19 billion (US$4.96 billion) of damage. 575,000 people were evacuated, and 155,000 people need an emergency relief. More than 129,500 houses are collapsed, and at least 361,000 houses are damaged. The damaged agricultural areas are 12,049 km², including 807 km² (312 sq mi) of the destroyed agricultural areas.^[2][3]

See also

• 2016 China floods
• East Asian rainy season
• Typhoon Nepartak (2016)