Beijing and Northern China Face Severe Smog and Air Pollution with Visibility Dropping to Less Than 50 Metres

Amid unusually high temperatures, Beijing's air quality ranks as one of the worst in the world; road and air travel restrictions implemented as meteorologists predict relief with colder air from Thursday.

The haze over Beijing and parts of northern China is due to poor atmospheric diffusion because of unseasonably weak cold air currents from the north, causing visibility to drop to less than 50 meters in some areas.
Air quality in Beijing ranks among the worst in the world, even surpassing some major cities in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, due to unusually high temperatures that are expected to persist until Thursday.
Multiple measures have been implemented to combat the severe smog conditions, including traffic safety controls, suspension of flights, and possible closure of highways; Beijing is also ready to implement traffic control measures if necessary.
Factors contributing to the severe conditions include increased industrial activities, heavy trucking, crop burning, and an increase in power usage in October, particularly in industries like cement, brick, and tile production.
A change in weather is expected from Thursday as cold air currents from the north are forecast to arrive, hopefully alleviating the smog conditions in the region.