Latest news with #Hong Kong Observatory
Bloomberg
20-07-2025
- Climate
- Bloomberg
Hong Kong Issues Highest Storm Alert as Typhoon Wipha Approaches
Hong Kong raised its storm alert to the highest level as it braced for tropical cyclone Wipha, with Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. delaying and canceling flights in and out of the city on Sunday. The Hong Kong Observatory lifted the signal to No. 10 at 9:20 a.m. local time. Wipha is expected to pass the city about 50 kilometers (31 miles) to the south, with wind speeds of 118 kilometers an hour, the weather agency said on its website. The maximum alert, which was last issued in 2023, is set to remain in force for 'some time,' it said.
South China Morning Post
17-07-2025
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong to issue T1 warning on Friday night as cyclone edges closer to city
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP's journalism by subscribing . New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. The Hong Kong Observatory will issue the No 1 typhoon signal as early as on Friday night, with a possibility of raising the warning to No 3 on Saturday, as a tropical cyclone is edging closer to the city. According to the forecaster, the tropical cyclone to the east of the Philippines will enter within 800 kilometres (497 miles) of Hong Kong from Friday night to early Saturday, after which it will intensify and edge closer to the western coast of Guangdong province. 'Its associated strong winds and outer rainbands will also affect the territory gradually. There will be heavy squally showers and thunderstorms later on Saturday to Monday. It will be windy and seas will be rough with swells,' the Observatory said. The forecaster will assess the need to issue a higher warning on Sunday, depending on the distance between the tropical cyclone and the Pearl River Delta, as well as on the wind's intensity and conditions. Members of the public are advised to stay away from the shoreline and refrain from doing water sports.
South China Morning Post
10-07-2025
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong must be well prepared for more extreme weather
The recurrence of extreme weather events around the world makes prompt responses and emergency plans a must rather than an option. The Hong Kong government has been repeatedly put to the test in this respect, with the latest heavy rainstorms disrupting school and other activities. The threats may only grow over time, so there needs to be more sustainable strategies and efforts to avert a crisis. Advertisement To the credit of the Hong Kong Observatory, the city was well warned in advance of the strong winds and heavy rain during the latter half of the week. Even so, the downpours since late Wednesday evening caught many unprepared. The authorities moved to adjust school operation and enrolment arrangements in the wake of several alternating amber and red rainstorm alerts yesterday. Well aware of the impact of the receding Typhoon Danas and an active southwest monsoon in the region, officials put in place a series of measures following a cross-departmental meeting on Wednesday. These include clearances at about 240 flood-prone locations by the Drainage Services Department and inspections of flood warning systems at tunnels and subways by the Highways Department. District councillors and care teams were also mobilised to alert residents of the risks in flood-prone areas. The government learned a painful lesson in September 2023 when the worst rainstorm in more than a century wreaked havoc in urban and rural areas. Thankfully, the damage is less severe this time. But those caught by the heavy rain and school suspensions might wish to see better coordination and smoother arrangements. Officials should go beyond having ad hoc meetings each time a storm strikes and set up a response system for the long term. Advertisement Notwithstanding the city's advanced urban infrastructure and management, the threats arising from global warming cannot be ignored. The increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather is constantly putting the government's response to the test.
