Hong Kong may see a tropical cyclone over the long weekend, with wind, showers and cooler temperatures expected.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory’s forecast on Tuesday, temperatures will fall on Sunday with a low of 21 degrees Celsius on Monday. A northeast monsoon surge is expected to reach the coast of southern China early next week.
The northeast monsoon brings about changes in winds and temperatures, and “can also affect tropical cyclones over the South China Sea,” according to the observatory website.
The weather leading up to the weekend will remain hot, reaching a high of 33 degrees on Friday.
Tropical cyclones in Hong Kong, which has a sub-tropical climate, usually happen in July and September. Around 30 tropical cyclones form in the North Pacific or China Seas yearly, with around half of them reaching typhoon strength with wins of up to 118 kilometres per hour, according to the observatory.
Warmer than usual March
Meanwhile, Hong Kong experienced a “much warmer than usual” March, recording a monthly mean temperature of 21.5 degrees – the second highest for the month since records began. Rainfall was also above average.
According to the observatory’s seasonal forecast, the city is seeing a “significant long-term rising trend” in its April to June temperatures under the influence of global warming and urbanisation.
