Smog to persist in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region

The ongoing haze may linger in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei cluster till Thursday, with only short break in some regions, because of unfavorable meteorological condition for air pollutant disposal, said authorities.

The low wind speed from southwest, as low as 3.6 kilometers per hour, resulted in accumulation of air pollutants along the Taihang Mountain in the region from Saturday morning and the pollutants were then transported to Beijing.

The temperature inversions, which prevent normal convective churn of the atmosphere, and the high humidity worsened the situation, according to a statement from a national joint research center on air pollution causes and control.

The conclusion was made based on joint discussion of more than 10 experts from research institutes and universities, including Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences and Tsinghua University.