SHENZHEN is expecting thunderstorms coupled with high temperatures over the next week as it enters the annual “dragon boat rain” period, which entails heavy rainfall that typically lasts for about a month around the Dragon Boat Festival in southern China.

Characterized by its uneven spatial distribution, frequent precipitation, and occasional extreme heavy rainfall, “dragon boat rain” usually begins before the traditional Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on May 31 this year, and continues for approximately one month. It primarily affects Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian.

The onset of the “dragon boat rain” is attributed to the beginning of monsoon season in the South China Sea, according to the city’s meteorological observatory.

These rainstorms are often accompanied by severe convective weather, including hail, thunderstorms, strong winds, and short-term heavy rainfall. Such conditions significantly increase the risk of flash floods, urban waterlogging, and geological disasters.

After casualties were reported over the weekend, the Guangdong Provincial Government has urged cities and departments across the province to implement effective measures to prevent and respond to potential natural hazards triggered by continued heavy rainfall and storms in the coming days.

Three people were killed, three others were injured, and one person went missing following a landslide caused by heavy rain in the village of Pingtougang in Gaozhou, a city administered by Maoming in western Guangdong, according to a report from Xinhua.

Over the past 30 years, Guangdong has averaged 321.1 millimeters of rainfall during the “dragon boat rain” period, making it the wettest phase of the province’s pre-flood season (April to June).

What is unusual this year is that no typhoon has made landfall in China so far, already two months later than in previous years, according to the observatory.

Since 2000, the average date for the formation of the first typhoon has been March 16.

This year, it is projected that seven to nine typhoons will make landfall in China.

(SD News)