Watch: Meteorologists in China battle sandstorm to launch weather balloon
According to the China Meteorological Administration, the sandstorm driven by strong winds arrived in Erenhot on Tuesday and reduced visibility in the city.
Meteorologists fight to launch weather balloon in sandstorm in China
A video posted Wednesday shows meteorologists struggling to launch the weather balloon near the border between China and Mongolia. (Courtesy: China Meteorological Administration via Storyful)
ERENHOT, China – A video posted Wednesday shows meteorologists battling to launch a weather balloon during a sandstorm in the city of Erenhot in northern China.
Located near the border between China and Mongolia, Erenhot lies in the Gobi Desert, a semiarid region that is no stranger to sandstorms and dust storms.
Map showing the location of Erenhot in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous region in China. (FOX Weather / FOX Weather)
According to the China Meteorological Administration, a sandstorm driven by strong winds arrived in Erenhot on Tuesday and reduced visibility in the city. It was the largest sandstorm of the season, the CMA said.
The video starts with two meteorologists standing in a doorway of a building at the Meteorological Bureau of Erenhot.
Two meteorologists stand in the doorway. (China Meteorological Administration via Storyful / FOX Weather)
The area appears Martian-like, as the building and its surroundings are cast in a dusty, orange color caused by the sandstorm whipping about.
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Piercing through the warm orange hues, a blue light shines brightly from inside the building, illuminating a large, white weather balloon.
Holding onto the balloon is one of the meteorologists, while the second meteorologist stands in the doorway. Then, the two men dash out of the building with the weather balloon in tow.
The meteorologists run out with the weather balloon. (China Meteorological Administration via Storyful / FOX Weather)
One of the men releases the balloon, which flails in the wind before flying off and disappearing into the sandstorm.
Powerful wind whips the weather balloon about. (China Meteorological Administration via Storyful / FOX Weather)
The sandstorm also swept through several other provinces in northern China, where weather warnings for high winds and low visibility were issued Wednesday, according to the CMA.
Footage shows dust causing low visibility in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. Commuters can be seen riding and biking through the haze caused by the sandstorm.
Sandstorm in China causes reduced air quality and poor visibility
Footage shot Wednesday shows dust causing low visibility in Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province. Officials with the Jinan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism warned of low visibility and poor air quality through Thursday.(Courtesy: @dia81210 via Storyful)
Officials with the Jinan Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism warned of low visibility and poor air quality through Thursday.