The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has forecasted extreme heat today (July 24), with maximum temperatures reaching around 35 degrees Celsius.
Senior Scientific Officer Dr. Yeung Kwok-chung mentioned on a radio program today that the weather will be particularly hot over the next two days due to the subsiding air currents on the periphery of Typhoon Gaemi, resulting in more sunshine.
The Observatory predicts that tomorrow's maximum temperature will also reach 34 degrees, with some areas in the New Territories experiencing even higher temperatures. Yeung added that wind speeds are expected to increase later this week on Thursday and Friday, and there will be more rain over the weekend, with isolated showers and thunderstorms.
Yeung stated that the Observatory forecasts that Typhoon Gaemi will cross northern and central Taiwan from tonight to early tomorrow morning and is expected to land in Fujian afterward. According to most computer and AI system forecasts, Gaemi will take a more northerly path after crossing Taiwan, maintaining a certain distance from Hong Kong. However, some computer models indicate that Gaemi might initially take a westerly path before turning north, potentially bringing its circulation closer to the Pearl River Estuary.
Therefore, according to Yeung, it will be necessary to assess whether to issue the Standby Signal No. 1 or the Strong Monsoon Signal at that time.
Yeung pointed out that data recorded by the Observatory over the past six months shows that Hong Kong has experienced unusually warm temperatures. For five of the first six months of the year, the average temperature was higher than usual, with an average of 23.3 degrees, tying the highest record. The average minimum temperature was 21.4 degrees, the highest on record.
As of yesterday, there have been 13 days in July with temperatures exceeding 33 degrees, compared to 9 days in June, showing little change from last year. For the year, the Observatory estimates that the average temperature will be higher than usual, possibly ranking among the top ten highest on record, he added.
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