Beijing woke up to a sandstorm this Monday. At first, it looked like just another “bad air day,” as I tell my kids. Then my oldest noticed that the air is yellow, and that’s how we clued into our first sandstorm.
According to China Daily, dust from southern Mongolia traveled south, blanketing our streets until Beijing issued a yellow alert, the second-lowest severity level and the strongest in nearly a decade.
But how to explain it to kids? CoolKidFacts.com says “A sandstorm is caused when there is lots and lots of wind. The wind whips up heaps of sand if by magic and carries it away for [kilometers and kilometers],” (and that’s how it got from Mongolia to Beijing). “They can be quite something to see. The clouds that carry the dust can be huge, and rise to over 305 meters, with wind speeds of at least 40 kilometers.”
Although it might seem alarming to kids, a sandstorm is a good time to remind them how quickly winds can change and how to protect their lungs by wearing masks properly.
Don’t play outside, keep your air filters on high, and have fun indoors until the air is clearer and the sand has subsided.
For more helpful facts and hacks about living in Beijing, just follow the Jingkids International WeChat Channel. Scan our QR code and let us know what you need to know!
Sources: China Daily, CoolKidFacts.com
Images: Anna Pellegrin-Hartley, Cindy Marie Jenkins, Mina Yan, Uni You
