Typhoon ‘White Dolphin’ Forces Mass Flight Cancellations in Eastern China

China’s Central Meteorological Observatory issued its highest-level red typhoon warning on Sunday as Typhoon ‘White Dolphin’ bore down on the country’s eastern coast, forcing nearly 60 percent of flights at Shanghai’s two major airports to be cancelled or adjusted and prompting Zhejiang province to activate its most severe emergency response.

According to Xinhua News, Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao airports planned to cancel 1,384 inbound and outbound flights on August 9, with Pudong accounting for 871 cancellations and Hongqiao 513. The airports urged passengers to check with their airlines for the latest flight information and adjust their travel plans accordingly.

Red Warning Issued as Typhoon Approaches Landfall

The Central Meteorological Observatory issued the red typhoon warning on August 9, the highest level in China’s four-tier warning system. The storm’s center was located approximately 215 kilometers east of Wenzhou, Zhejiang, with maximum sustained winds of 45 meters per second (14 levels) and a minimum central pressure of 950 hPa.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall between Zhoushan, Zhejiang, and Fuding, Fujian, between Sunday evening and early Monday morning, with landfall winds of 38-45 meters per second (13-14 levels). Heavy to torrential rainfall is forecast across Zhejiang, Shanghai, northern Fujian, northeastern Jiangxi, central-southern Anhui, southern and eastern Jiangsu, and Taiwan, with extreme rainfall of 250-500 mm expected in central-eastern Zhejiang and cumulative totals exceeding 600 mm in some areas.

Zhejiang Raises Emergency Response to Level 1

Zhejiang province elevated its typhoon emergency response to Level 1, the highest level, on August 8, according to Xinhua News. The response includes stopping outdoor collective activities, closing schools and businesses, suspending transportation, and closing roads as necessary.

Zhejiang Chief Forecaster Jia Yan noted that the typhoon’s massive size has already produced heavy rain in Ningbo, Taizhou, Wenzhou, and Lishui, with gusts of 9-12 levels reported in coastal and inland mountainous areas. The province has dispatched seven rescue guidance groups to coastal areas and key affected regions.

All coastal port operations in Zhejiang have ceased, all passenger ferry routes are suspended, 193 water projects have been halted, and 474 vessels have been moved to safe anchorage. All 85 A-level scenic spots in Wenzhou have been closed.

Widespread Transportation Disruptions

Beyond Shanghai, the typhoon has caused severe disruptions across the region’s transportation network. According to 21st Century Business Herald, Ningbo Airport suspended all operations from late August 8 through August 9, while airports in Taizhou and Lishui cancelled all flights on August 9. Wenzhou and Zhoushan airports cancelled nearly all flights, and Hangzhou cancelled 270 flights, primarily after noon.

A NetEase report citing flight tracking data indicated that 38 airports are expected to be affected by the typhoon from August 9-11. Railway services on the Xiaoyong, Yongjin, and Hangshen lines have been suspended for August 9-10, and the Nanchang Railway Bureau has raised its response to Level III for the Quzhou-Ningde and Fuzhou-Fuding lines.

Disney Resort Adjusts Operations

Shanghai Disney Resort announced it would close early on August 9, with Disney Town ceasing operations later that evening, according to NetEase. The resort is offering full refunds or free date changes for tickets from August 9-11, and outdoor performances may be cancelled depending on weather conditions.

A Historic and Unprecedented Storm

Typhoon ‘White Dolphin’ (2613) has already made meteorological history. Formed on July 27 in the central Pacific after crossing the International Date Line, it reached super typhoon status with peak winds of 65 m/s (17+ levels) on July 30, making it the second strongest typhoon of 2026. It is the longest-lived typhoon on record, with a lifespan exceeding 15 days—more than three times the average—and a track spanning over 6,000 kilometers.

According to Xinhua, CMA Chief Forecaster Dong Lin noted that the typhoon could become the first in meteorological records to form near the International Date Line and make landfall in China at tropical storm strength or above. Zhang Ling, another CMA Chief Forecaster, described it as maintaining super typhoon level for 5.5 days and strong typhoon level for 9 days, with an impact range expected to extend from East China to Central China and possibly North China.

What to Watch For

The typhoon’s slow movement—attributed to a saddle-shaped pressure field—means rainfall duration will be extended and cumulative rainfall exceptionally abundant, according to CMA Chief Forecaster Xu Yinglong. After landfall, the storm may stall or loop in central Jiangnan, and its residual circulation could bring heavy rain to North China after August 12, with areas near Mount Tai, the Taihang Mountains, and the Yanshan Mountains at particular risk of extreme rainfall.

Authorities across multiple agencies—including the National Flood Control Headquarters, the Water Resources Ministry, the Natural Resources Ministry, and the Emergency Management Ministry—have activated coordinated emergency responses at various levels. Red mountain flood warnings have been issued for 23 Zhejiang counties, and officials are urging residents in affected areas to remain vigilant and follow evacuation orders as the storm makes landfall.