China has made significant strides in weather forecasting and disaster prevention over the past five years, according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA). The advancements include improved forecasting accuracy and enhanced disaster prevention capabilities, marking a leap forward in the country’s meteorological services.
At a press briefing in Beijing, Song Shanyun, deputy administrator of the CMA, highlighted the progress spanning multiple areas such as disaster prevention, agricultural support, and technological innovation. “We’ve built the world’s largest modern integrated meteorological observation system,” said Song, noting that the national meteorological disaster monitoring rate has reached 80%.
China now stands as the only country operating civilian meteorological satellites in dawn, morning, afternoon, and inclined near-Earth orbits simultaneously. This unique satellite network enables a global intelligent forecasting system capable of producing hourly weather forecasts a day in advance and predicting major national weather events up to 15 days ahead.
“In comparison to 2019, our weather forecasting has become more precise,” said Zhang Hongguang, deputy head of the forecasting department at the CMA. He reported that the warning time for severe convective weather—such as thunderstorms and tornadoes—has improved by 13.2%, reaching an average of 43 minutes. Additionally, the accuracy rate of 24-hour heavy rainfall forecasts has increased by 4.9% over the past five years.
China’s meteorological advancements are not confined within its borders. The country provides meteorological satellite data and services to 132 countries and regions worldwide. Over the past five years, China has signed 35 bilateral cooperation agreements in the meteorological field, demonstrating its commitment to global meteorological governance and international science and technology cooperation.
“China is deeply involved in global meteorological efforts,” Song emphasized. “We are steadfast in promoting multi-level international meteorological science and technology cooperation.”
With these advancements, China is setting new standards in weather forecasting and disaster prevention, leveraging technology to protect lives and support sustainable development both domestically and globally.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
