Tourists are pictured near the Ruins of St. Paul's in south China's Macao, May 3, 2025. The first three days of China's May Day holiday saw a significant influx of visitors to the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), injecting new vitality into the local tourism industry. Statistics from the SAR's Public Security Police Force (CPSP) showed that from Thursday to Saturday, Macao's border checkpoints recorded entries and exits of 731,474, 837,062, and 826,273, respectively. Friday experienced the highest daily total, including 221,968 incoming visitors, marking the highest single-day record for inbound tourists since the pandemic.(Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)
As May Day holiday makers embark on their return trip on the last day of the holiday on Monday, Chinese meteorological authorities warned of severe weather conditions in many parts of the country which may disrupt travel.
Heavy rainfall is forecast for parts of southern China on Monday and Tuesday, with a new round of storms expected to begin Wednesday. Meanwhile, northern China will face strong winds and even dust storms, while central and eastern regions will see fluctuating temperatures.
On Monday morning, the National Meteorological Center issued three consecutive blue alerts, warning of sandstorms, strong winds, and severe convective weather in parts of the country.
Southern China experienced the peak of the current round of rainfall on Sunday, with multiple areas hit by severe convective weather. Monitoring data indicated that between 8 am Sunday and 6 am Monday, heavy downpours affected several parts of the region, the report said.
Rainfall in the south is expected to ease on Monday and Tuesday. However, starting Wednesday, another widespread rainstorm will sweep from west to east across southern regions, accompanied by brief but intense precipitation, thunderstorms, and strong winds, Weather China said.
With the holiday return-trip peak overlapping with heavy rainfall and severe convective weather, some highways may face disruptions. Drivers are advised to maintain safe distances and reduce speed. Additionally, over the next three days, some areas in southern provinces should remain vigilant for geological hazards and mountain floods due to the heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, on Monday, cold air continued to bring strong winds and sandstorms to much of northern China, said the report. Some areas may experience winds of force 5 to 7, with gusts reaching force 8 to 10, along with blowing sand, dust storms, or sandstorms.
Furthermore, recent cold air activity has caused significant temperature fluctuations across central and eastern China. On Sunday, the cooling trend moved southward, with temperatures in eastern parts of Southwest China's Guizhou Province and other areas dropping sharply by over 8 degrees, Weather China reported.
