PDC Updates | Aug 7, 2008
PDC produced extensive historical natural hazards imagery of Beijing and all of eastern and southeast Asia from just below the equator to approximately 45° North. The imagery—covering an area from Java, in southern Indonesia, to Khabarovsk, in Russia near its border with northern China—includes data on volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and seismic activity, tsunamis, typhoons, and flooding. Visualized historical hazard data helps decision makers understand what risks various venues face, and supports preparation and planning.

The U.S. National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) used PDC’s map-layer imagery to develop the 2008 Olympics Natural Hazard Graphic, a large format poster. The poster, an unclassified document, was distributed to potential users in June and July in advance of the 8.8.08 opening of the Olympic Games.

Beijing’s Natural Hazard Risks

The city of Beijing is more than 200 miles from the nearest volcano, and it is positioned in an area that is generally safe from tsunami run-ups. Even major flooding usually does not reach the Chinese capital, but other Olympics 2008 venues such as coastal Shanghai (China’s largest city) and Qingdao (located on a peninsula) do not enjoy the same degree of natural protection. Earthquakes and seismic activity, unlike meteorological hazards, are effectively everywhere, including the plains surrounding Beijing.

Weather for 8.8.08, Olympics Opening Day

PDC Senior Weather Specialist Glenn James offers this general meteorological overview for Beijing on Friday, August 8, when the eyes of the world will be on China’s second largest city: Weather conditions for the start of the 2008 Olympics will start off with partly to mostly cloudy conditions later in the day Friday, with an increased chance of thundershowers developing into Saturday. Winds will be light Friday, blowing in the 3 to 7 mph range, making for sultry daytime conditions. High temperatures will be in the lower 90s F (33C), cooling off into the middle to upper 70s F at night (25C). The weather in Beijing will cool off during the first weekend, August 9–10, due to cloud cover, thundershowers and moderately heavy rains.

For the latest updates on weather in Beijing, China, go to the China Meteorological Administration.

As of noon on August 7, Hawaii Standard Time, these are the expected conditions across the Olympic region from Hong Kong, the Olympic Equestrian City, in the south; through Shanghai, where much of the football (soccer) will be played; to Shenyang in the north, another football city: Weather conditions in general along the east coast of China will find sunny and relatively dry weather in the north towards Shenyang, becoming progressively more cloudy and wet, warm and sultry, as one heads southward towards Hong Kong, the southernmost Olympics 2008 city. There are no suspect areas in terms of tropical storms or typhoons taking aim at China at this time, and likely won’t be through the first week of the Games.

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