DUST STORM WEATHER IN CHINA: NEW CHARACTERISTICS AND ORIGINS
中国沙尘暴天气的新特征及成因分析

From 2000 to 2002, dust storm weather occurred frequently in northern China, resulting in bad influence on traffic, atmospheric environment quality and people's daily life in areas through which it flowed. Such dust storm weather has the new characteristics below: higher frequency, stronger intensity, larger influence areas, earlier occurring time, and longer lasting time. Analyses on the meteorological, climatic and environmental conditions show that the dust storm weather can originate from three elements. First, the anti El Nino (La Nina) event is at its top period in recent two years, which can result in a high frequency of strong wind. Second, compared with the same period in ordinary year, precipitation is less and temperature is higher. Finally, desertification in northern China is stronger than before because of improper use of land, which can provide more dust sources.$$$$