Hong Kong has experienced a “much warmer than usual” spring, with the mean temperature of 24.5 degrees Celsius from March to May. It is the second highest figure on record, despite May being both cloudier and cooler than monthly climatological norms.
The Hong Kong Observatory on Tuesday issued a summary of May’s weather, noting that it was “characterised by cloudier-than-usual weather with localised heavy rain over parts of the New Territories.”
Parts of Sai Kung, in the south-eastern New Territories, saw over 700 millimetres of rainfall in May, while the Observatory in Tsim Sha Tsui recorded 292.6 millimetres, close to the normal 290.6 millimetres.
The Observatory issued nine Amber rainstorm warnings, and two Red alerts during May, which also saw the earliest T3 typhoon signal raised since 2016, as tropical depression Maliksi brought wind and wet weather to the city at the end of the month.
In March, the Observatory forecast that the city would see between five and eight tropical storms that came within 500 kilometres this year.
“Attributable to the well-above-normal temperatures in March and April, spring this year from March to May was much warmer than usual,” the Observatory said. It was the hottest April since the government forecaster started recording the city’s meteorological conditions in 1884, a phenomenon that was repeated across the globe.
June got off to a relatively wet start in Hong Kong, as a trough of low pressure brought showers and thunderstorms to the region. The Observatory said it expected hot weather with some showers on Sunday and Monday’s public holiday for the Dragon Boat Festival.
Extreme weather to become more frequent
Hong Kong was battered by several tropical cyclones last year, including Super Typhoon Saola, which prompted the Observatory to issue its highest storm warning for the first time in five years. A week later, record breaking rainfall drenched the city, causing widespread flooding and landslides.
“Extreme weather can become more frequent because of the climate change,” Observatory Director Chan Pak-wai said. “So Hong Kong citizens are reminded to get prepared for extreme weather, especially pay close attention to the weather forecast and warnings issued by the Observatory and get earlier prepared.”
The Observatory has predicted that 2024 could be one of Hong Kong’s hottest on record. The city already experienced its hottest April since records began, an “exceptionally warm” winter from December to February, and a “much warmer than usual” March.
Environmental experts have said that the city needs more progressive and proactive environmental policies to address the climate crisis, including the need to conserve the natural environment and to speed up the transition towards green energy.
A new joint analysis, carried out by Climate Central, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, and World Weather Attribution, estimated that 6.3 billion people – about 78 per cent of the global population – experienced at least 31 days of atypical warmth over the past year. The study, published on Tuesday, noted that 76 extreme heatwaves occurred between May 15, 2023 and May 15, 2024 across 90 countries, threatening food and water security.
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