China’s capital and some northwestern provinces were shrouded by sand and dust on Monday as heavy winds blew in from the second-largest desert in Asia, forcing hundreds of flights to be grounded.

The China Meteorological Administration on Monday morning hoisted a yellow alert as dust storms expanded from the Gobi Desert into many of China’s northern provinces and cities, including Gansu, Shanxi, Hebei and Beijing.

It was forecasted that 12 provinces and regions, including Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, would see sandy and dusty weather, and some areas would encounter the strongest and largest sandstorms in a decade, China’s National Meteorological Center warned.

In Beijing, visibility in most areas dipped to below 1 kilometer (0.6 miles). More than 400 flights at Beijing Capital International Airport and Daxing International Airport were forced to be canceled, and authorities have called on educational institutions to cease outdoor activities.

According to footage published by mainland media, sand and dust started to engulf the country’s capital early in the morning while pollutants were suspended in midair, dimming the streets of Beijing. Commuters were seen wearing improvised headwear and surgical masks to protect themselves from the particles.

Recent higher-than-usual temperatures compounded with little rainfall and heavy winds in northern China and neighboring Mongolia had contributed to the severe sandstorms, Zhang Bihui, director of the Environmental Meteorological Center, told state newspaper China Daily.

Although the sandstorm in Beijing may return on Tuesday, it would not stay for too long, Zhang added.

The sandstorms were expected to move south toward the Yangtze River Delta, which comprises cities such as Shanghai and Nanjing, the China Meteorological Administration said, adding that the sandy weather would clear by Wednesday or Thursday.

Beijing faces regular sandstorms in March and April due to its proximity to the Gobi Desert, but the situation has been aggravated in recent years due to deforestation and soil erosion throughout northern China.

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