2010 China drought and dust storms

The 2010 China drought and dust storms were a series of severe droughts during the spring of 2010 that affected Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Sichuan, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi, Chongqing, Hebei and Gansu in the People's Republic of China as well as parts of Southeast Asia including Vietnam and Thailand, and dust storms in March and April that affected much of East Asia. The drought has been referred to as the worst in a century in southwestern China.

Prior to the drought in Yunnan and Guizhou, the China Meteorological Administration recorded temperatures averaging 2 °C warmer than normal over six months and half the average precipitation for the past year across the region, both unprecedented since at least the 1950s. The effects of El Niño are believed to be contributing to the drought, which may be exacerbated by global warming, as some areas in Yunnan have recorded record high temperatures during the winter since record-keeping began in 1950. Some areas in the drought-affected regions have seen no rainfall since before October. Spring dust storms are common in China, but have become more severe in recent years due to desertification, deforestation, drought, urban sprawl and overgrazing. Countries downstream from Yunnan are also affected by drought conditions upriver, and some places including much of Vietnam have seen very little precipitation since the previous September.

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