In recent years, meteorological departments have actively developed early warning practice, and as a component of "MAZU", a joint action for Early Warnings for All of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), continue to deliver more accurate warnings and serve sectors like port management and local village safety.

In response to escalating climate risks, Zhejiang Provincial Meteorological Service has developed a cutting-edge meteorological early warning system, aligning with the demand for enhanced disaster resilience.

The system features a comprehensive early warning product combination, encompassing 4 severe weather categories and 13 disaster warning signals, ensuring the precise and timely warnings for various hazards.

In particular, Zhejiang Provincial Meteorological Service has established a complete operational chain of monitoring-forecasting-warning in the fields of ports, waterways, coastal operations, and coastal industries.

Meanwhile, Zhejiang Province has built an intelligent service system covering the entire life cycle of typhoons, possessing systematic and streamlined business advantages and rich practical experience in marine meteorological services and typhoon disaster prevention.

In Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, a global shipping hub, has reaped significant benefits from Zhejiang's early warning practice.

Ningbo-Zhoushan Port

The Port, susceptible to adverse weather, has minimized downtime through precise meteorological forecasts.

During Typhoon "Co-may" in 2025, Ningbo Municipal Meteorological Department delivered tailored services and adjusted wind force forecasts enabled the Port to "gain back" 10 crucial hours of operation.

This proactive approach reduced disruptions and maintained operational efficiency, highlighting the value of early warnings in maritime logistics.

The Port's refined operation is further assisted by the Early Warning and Pre-control System and its mobile version, "Maritime Meteorological Report."

These systems provide real-time multi-departmental data and minute-scale alerts, enhancing decision-making and operational planning.

Early Warning and pre-control system of Ningbo Municipal Meteorological Department

Yuyao, Ningbo, situated on Zhejiang's eastern coast, is at high risk of natural disasters, especially flash floods from rainstorm and typhoons. Its topography, with Siming Mountains in the south and the low-lying Yaojiang Plain in the north, makes it more vulnerable.

The southern mountains are a rainstorm center, leaving small watersheds highly prone to flash floods. In recent years, devastating typhoons like "In-fa" in 2021 and "Muifa" in 2022 caused severe flooding, highlighting the urgent need for accurate and timely early warnings to safeguard lives and property.

To tackle these challenges, Yuyao Meteorological Office, in partnership with the Water Resources Bureau, launched the "One Gully, One Policy" operational platform.

"One Gully, One Policy" operational platform

This system offers real-time monitoring of water levels and precipitation in small watersheds, enabling early flash flood risk detection and assessment. It harnesses advanced meteorological data and machine learning to build dynamic rainfall threshold models, thus improving warning accuracy.

During Typhoon "Kong-rey" in 2024, the system proved its worth. Yuyao Meteorological Office harnessed it to monitor rainfall and water levels, issuing timely warnings to high-risk zones. Through close interdepartmental coordination, 1,238 people were swiftly evacuated, ensuring the safety of the peopleand avoid direct economic losses.

Editor: LIU Shuqiao