PEOPLE weighing less than 50 kilograms may be easily blown away in extreme winds that northern China is bracing for.

Millions have been advised to stay indoors while classes and outdoor events were suspended due to strong winds expected to sweep Beijing, Tianjin and other parts of Hebei region from Friday to Sunday, a report by CNN said.

The report added that for the first time in a decade, Beijing has issued an orange alert for gales–the second-highest in a four-tier weather warning system–as a cold vortex moves southeast from Mongolia.

Strong winds sweeping from Mongolia are not uncommon, especially at this time of the year. Authorities are taking preemptive measures as the impending winds are expected to be stronger than anything the area has seen in years.

The winds are expected to range from level 11 to 13.

Temperatures in Beijing are expected to drop by 13C within 24 hours, when the strongest winds hit on Saturday, authorities said.

"This strong wind is extreme, lasts for a long time, affects a wide area, and is highly disastrous," the Beijing Meteorological Service said.

China measures wind speed with a scale that goes from level 1 to 17. A level 11 wind, according to the China Meteorological Administration, can cause "serious damage", while a level 12 wind brings "extreme destruction."

• Tags
• #Northern China
• #Extreme Winds
• #Beijing Tianjin
• #Hebei region
• #China Meteorological Administration