China Develops Cloud Seeding Planes And Cuts Electricity Use As Record Heat Takes A Toll China

For more than two months, baking temperatures have disrupted crop growth, threatened livestock and forced industries in the southwest’s hydro-dependent regions to shut down to ensure power to homes. China has repeatedly warned that it faces a proliferation of extreme weather events in the coming years as it tries to adapt to climate change and rising temperatures that are likely to be more severe than elsewhere. A villager fills up at a water distribution point in Luoping Village in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. Photo: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock The current extreme heat is likely to come from a “special case” of high pressure from the western Pacific stretching across much of Asia, said Cai Wenju, a researcher at Australia’s national science research institute, CSIRO. China’s heatwave has lasted 64 days, making it the longest since full records began in 1961, state media reported, citing data from the national climate center. High temperatures will persist until August 26 in the Sichuan Basin and large areas of central China, according to forecasts. China’s southwestern Sichuan province said on Wednesday it would restore power to homes, offices and shopping malls after already ordering energy-intensive metal and fertilizer producers to curtail operations. In what appears to be an official call to reduce electricity use, government offices have been asked to set air conditioners no lower than 26 C (79 F) and use stairs instead of elevators, the Sichuan Daily reported. Fountains, light shows and commercial activities after dark will be suspended, he added. On Wednesday, the central province of Hubei became the latest to reveal an attempt to induce rainfall by sending planes to spray the chemical silver iodide into the clouds. Other areas in the Yangtze have also started “cloud seeding” programs, but with cloud cover too thin, operations in some parched areas have been put on hold. Power shortages also prompted several companies in the sprawling Chongqing region bordering Sichuan to say they would suspend production. China’s Vice President Han Zheng visited the state grid company on Wednesday and said further efforts are needed to ensure power supply to residents and key industries and avoid blackouts, according to a state media report. China should speed up projects to improve power load management and promote the joint operation of coal and renewable energy, Han said. Staff carry out artificial rain sowing work as part of drought relief measures in Zigui County of Yichang, Hubei Province, on Tuesday. Photo: China Daily/Reuters Hydropower makes up about 80% of Sichuan’s power, but declining water flow in the Yangtze and its tributaries has led to a scramble to meet rising demand for air conditioning as temperatures soar to 40 degrees Celsius and beyond. Average rainfall in Sichuan is 51 percent less than in previous years, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency, citing the provincial branch of the state-run network. Some reservoirs have dried up as water from major rivers has halved, he said. Drought across the Yangtze River basin was also “adversely affecting” drinking water for rural people and livestock, as well as crop growth, the water resources ministry said in a statement. He urged drought-stricken areas to make plans to maintain water supplies with steps such as temporary water transfer, development of new springs and expansion of pipe networks. To boost downstream supplies, China’s largest hydropower project, the Three Gorges Dam, will increase water discharges by 500m cubic meters over the next 10 days, it said on Tuesday. Water flows there this week were about half of what they were last year. Some animals from drought-hit areas had been temporarily moved elsewhere, the finance ministry said this week, promising 300 million yuan ($44 million) in disaster relief.

title: “China Develops Cloud Seeding Planes And Cuts Electricity Use As Record Heat Takes A Toll China Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-22” author: “Brian Bond”

For more than two months, baking temperatures have disrupted crop growth, threatened livestock and forced industries in the southwest’s hydro-dependent regions to shut down to ensure power to homes. China has repeatedly warned that it faces a proliferation of extreme weather events in the coming years as it tries to adapt to climate change and rising temperatures that are likely to be more severe than elsewhere. A villager fills up at a water distribution point in Luoping Village in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. Photo: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock The current extreme heat is likely to come from a “special case” of high pressure from the western Pacific stretching across much of Asia, said Cai Wenju, a researcher at Australia’s national science research institute, CSIRO. China’s heatwave has lasted 64 days, making it the longest since full records began in 1961, state media reported, citing data from the national climate center. High temperatures will persist until August 26 in the Sichuan Basin and large areas of central China, according to forecasts. China’s southwestern Sichuan province said on Wednesday it would restore power to homes, offices and shopping malls after already ordering energy-intensive metal and fertilizer producers to curtail operations. In what appears to be an official call to reduce electricity use, government offices have been asked to set air conditioners no lower than 26 C (79 F) and use stairs instead of elevators, the Sichuan Daily reported. Fountains, light shows and commercial activities after dark will be suspended, he added. On Wednesday, the central province of Hubei became the latest to reveal an attempt to induce rainfall by sending planes to spray the chemical silver iodide into the clouds. Other areas in the Yangtze have also started “cloud seeding” programs, but with cloud cover too thin, operations in some parched areas have been put on hold. Power shortages also prompted several companies in the sprawling Chongqing region bordering Sichuan to say they would suspend production. China’s Vice President Han Zheng visited the state grid company on Wednesday and said further efforts are needed to ensure power supply to residents and key industries and avoid blackouts, according to a state media report. China should speed up projects to improve power load management and promote the joint operation of coal and renewable energy, Han said. Staff carry out artificial rain sowing work as part of drought relief measures in Zigui County of Yichang, Hubei Province, on Tuesday. Photo: China Daily/Reuters Hydropower makes up about 80% of Sichuan’s power, but declining water flow in the Yangtze and its tributaries has led to a scramble to meet rising demand for air conditioning as temperatures soar to 40 degrees Celsius and beyond. Average rainfall in Sichuan is 51 percent less than in previous years, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency, citing the provincial branch of the state-run network. Some reservoirs have dried up as water from major rivers has halved, he said. Drought across the Yangtze River basin was also “adversely affecting” drinking water for rural people and livestock, as well as crop growth, the water resources ministry said in a statement. He urged drought-stricken areas to make plans to maintain water supplies with steps such as temporary water transfer, development of new springs and expansion of pipe networks. To boost downstream supplies, China’s largest hydropower project, the Three Gorges Dam, will increase water discharges by 500m cubic meters over the next 10 days, it said on Tuesday. Water flows there this week were about half of what they were last year. Some animals from drought-hit areas had been temporarily moved elsewhere, the finance ministry said this week, promising 300 million yuan ($44 million) in disaster relief.

title: “China Develops Cloud Seeding Planes And Cuts Electricity Use As Record Heat Takes A Toll China Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-31” author: “Amber Gaffney”

For more than two months, baking temperatures have disrupted crop growth, threatened livestock and forced industries in the southwest’s hydro-dependent regions to shut down to ensure power to homes. China has repeatedly warned that it faces a proliferation of extreme weather events in the coming years as it tries to adapt to climate change and rising temperatures that are likely to be more severe than elsewhere. A villager fills up at a water distribution point in Luoping Village in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. Photo: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock The current extreme heat is likely to come from a “special case” of high pressure from the western Pacific stretching across much of Asia, said Cai Wenju, a researcher at Australia’s national science research institute, CSIRO. China’s heatwave has lasted 64 days, making it the longest since full records began in 1961, state media reported, citing data from the national climate center. High temperatures will persist until August 26 in the Sichuan Basin and large areas of central China, according to forecasts. China’s southwestern Sichuan province said on Wednesday it would restore power to homes, offices and shopping malls after already ordering energy-intensive metal and fertilizer producers to curtail operations. In what appears to be an official call to reduce electricity use, government offices have been asked to set air conditioners no lower than 26 C (79 F) and use stairs instead of elevators, the Sichuan Daily reported. Fountains, light shows and commercial activities after dark will be suspended, he added. On Wednesday, the central province of Hubei became the latest to reveal an attempt to induce rainfall by sending planes to spray the chemical silver iodide into the clouds. Other areas in the Yangtze have also started “cloud seeding” programs, but with cloud cover too thin, operations in some parched areas have been put on hold. Power shortages also prompted several companies in the sprawling Chongqing region bordering Sichuan to say they would suspend production. China’s Vice President Han Zheng visited the state grid company on Wednesday and said further efforts are needed to ensure power supply to residents and key industries and avoid blackouts, according to a state media report. China should speed up projects to improve power load management and promote the joint operation of coal and renewable energy, Han said. Staff carry out artificial rain sowing work as part of drought relief measures in Zigui County of Yichang, Hubei Province, on Tuesday. Photo: China Daily/Reuters Hydropower makes up about 80% of Sichuan’s power, but declining water flow in the Yangtze and its tributaries has led to a scramble to meet rising demand for air conditioning as temperatures soar to 40 degrees Celsius and beyond. Average rainfall in Sichuan is 51 percent less than in previous years, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency, citing the provincial branch of the state-run network. Some reservoirs have dried up as water from major rivers has halved, he said. Drought across the Yangtze River basin was also “adversely affecting” drinking water for rural people and livestock, as well as crop growth, the water resources ministry said in a statement. He urged drought-stricken areas to make plans to maintain water supplies with steps such as temporary water transfer, development of new springs and expansion of pipe networks. To boost downstream supplies, China’s largest hydropower project, the Three Gorges Dam, will increase water discharges by 500m cubic meters over the next 10 days, it said on Tuesday. Water flows there this week were about half of what they were last year. Some animals from drought-hit areas had been temporarily moved elsewhere, the finance ministry said this week, promising 300 million yuan ($44 million) in disaster relief.

title: “China Develops Cloud Seeding Planes And Cuts Electricity Use As Record Heat Takes A Toll China Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-04” author: “Geraldine Whittenbeck”

For more than two months, baking temperatures have disrupted crop growth, threatened livestock and forced industries in the southwest’s hydro-dependent regions to shut down to ensure power to homes. China has repeatedly warned that it faces a proliferation of extreme weather events in the coming years as it tries to adapt to climate change and rising temperatures that are likely to be more severe than elsewhere. A villager fills up at a water distribution point in Luoping Village in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. Photo: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock The current extreme heat is likely to come from a “special case” of high pressure from the western Pacific stretching across much of Asia, said Cai Wenju, a researcher at Australia’s national science research institute, CSIRO. China’s heatwave has lasted 64 days, making it the longest since full records began in 1961, state media reported, citing data from the national climate center. High temperatures will persist until August 26 in the Sichuan Basin and large areas of central China, according to forecasts. China’s southwestern Sichuan province said on Wednesday it would restore power to homes, offices and shopping malls after already ordering energy-intensive metal and fertilizer producers to curtail operations. In what appears to be an official call to reduce electricity use, government offices have been asked to set air conditioners no lower than 26 C (79 F) and use stairs instead of elevators, the Sichuan Daily reported. Fountains, light shows and commercial activities after dark will be suspended, he added. On Wednesday, the central province of Hubei became the latest to reveal an attempt to induce rainfall by sending planes to spray the chemical silver iodide into the clouds. Other areas in the Yangtze have also started “cloud seeding” programs, but with cloud cover too thin, operations in some parched areas have been put on hold. Power shortages also prompted several companies in the sprawling Chongqing region bordering Sichuan to say they would suspend production. China’s Vice President Han Zheng visited the state grid company on Wednesday and said further efforts are needed to ensure power supply to residents and key industries and avoid blackouts, according to a state media report. China should speed up projects to improve power load management and promote the joint operation of coal and renewable energy, Han said. Staff carry out artificial rain sowing work as part of drought relief measures in Zigui County of Yichang, Hubei Province, on Tuesday. Photo: China Daily/Reuters Hydropower makes up about 80% of Sichuan’s power, but declining water flow in the Yangtze and its tributaries has led to a scramble to meet rising demand for air conditioning as temperatures soar to 40 degrees Celsius and beyond. Average rainfall in Sichuan is 51 percent less than in previous years, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency, citing the provincial branch of the state-run network. Some reservoirs have dried up as water from major rivers has halved, he said. Drought across the Yangtze River basin was also “adversely affecting” drinking water for rural people and livestock, as well as crop growth, the water resources ministry said in a statement. He urged drought-stricken areas to make plans to maintain water supplies with steps such as temporary water transfer, development of new springs and expansion of pipe networks. To boost downstream supplies, China’s largest hydropower project, the Three Gorges Dam, will increase water discharges by 500m cubic meters over the next 10 days, it said on Tuesday. Water flows there this week were about half of what they were last year. Some animals from drought-hit areas had been temporarily moved elsewhere, the finance ministry said this week, promising 300 million yuan ($44 million) in disaster relief.

title: “China Develops Cloud Seeding Planes And Cuts Electricity Use As Record Heat Takes A Toll China Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-17” author: “Luis Revilla”

For more than two months, baking temperatures have disrupted crop growth, threatened livestock and forced industries in the southwest’s hydro-dependent regions to shut down to ensure power to homes. China has repeatedly warned that it faces a proliferation of extreme weather events in the coming years as it tries to adapt to climate change and rising temperatures that are likely to be more severe than elsewhere. A villager fills up at a water distribution point in Luoping Village in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality. Photo: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock The current extreme heat is likely to come from a “special case” of high pressure from the western Pacific stretching across much of Asia, said Cai Wenju, a researcher at Australia’s national science research institute, CSIRO. China’s heatwave has lasted 64 days, making it the longest since full records began in 1961, state media reported, citing data from the national climate center. High temperatures will persist until August 26 in the Sichuan Basin and large areas of central China, according to forecasts. China’s southwestern Sichuan province said on Wednesday it would restore power to homes, offices and shopping malls after already ordering energy-intensive metal and fertilizer producers to curtail operations. In what appears to be an official call to reduce electricity use, government offices have been asked to set air conditioners no lower than 26 C (79 F) and use stairs instead of elevators, the Sichuan Daily reported. Fountains, light shows and commercial activities after dark will be suspended, he added. On Wednesday, the central province of Hubei became the latest to reveal an attempt to induce rainfall by sending planes to spray the chemical silver iodide into the clouds. Other areas in the Yangtze have also started “cloud seeding” programs, but with cloud cover too thin, operations in some parched areas have been put on hold. Power shortages also prompted several companies in the sprawling Chongqing region bordering Sichuan to say they would suspend production. China’s Vice President Han Zheng visited the state grid company on Wednesday and said further efforts are needed to ensure power supply to residents and key industries and avoid blackouts, according to a state media report. China should speed up projects to improve power load management and promote the joint operation of coal and renewable energy, Han said. Staff carry out artificial rain sowing work as part of drought relief measures in Zigui County of Yichang, Hubei Province, on Tuesday. Photo: China Daily/Reuters Hydropower makes up about 80% of Sichuan’s power, but declining water flow in the Yangtze and its tributaries has led to a scramble to meet rising demand for air conditioning as temperatures soar to 40 degrees Celsius and beyond. Average rainfall in Sichuan is 51 percent less than in previous years, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency, citing the provincial branch of the state-run network. Some reservoirs have dried up as water from major rivers has halved, he said. Drought across the Yangtze River basin was also “adversely affecting” drinking water for rural people and livestock, as well as crop growth, the water resources ministry said in a statement. He urged drought-stricken areas to make plans to maintain water supplies with steps such as temporary water transfer, development of new springs and expansion of pipe networks. To boost downstream supplies, China’s largest hydropower project, the Three Gorges Dam, will increase water discharges by 500m cubic meters over the next 10 days, it said on Tuesday. Water flows there this week were about half of what they were last year. Some animals from drought-hit areas had been temporarily moved elsewhere, the finance ministry said this week, promising 300 million yuan ($44 million) in disaster relief.