Beijing, Hebei brace for another smoggy weekend
周末期间北京河北再次被雾霾笼罩

After a few days of nice autumn weather, China’s northern provinces are bracing for yet another smoggy weekend.

Weather authorities have adviced residents in Beijing and Hebei Provinces to stay indoors during the next couple of days and wear facial masks when they do need to go out.

The main pollutant is again PM 2.5, tiny particles that are especially harmful, as they can get deep into the respiratory system of human beings. On Saturday morning the PM2.5 index in Beijing reads above 180, more than six times the World Health Organization’s recommended safe limit of 30.

Visibility is expected to be reduced in the next few days, to less than 2 kilometers in most areas within the region. It is forecast that this time will be slightly better than last week. The smog is expected to clear on the 20th of October.