Last Thursday (July 10), strong winds and heavy rain affected multiple areas in Hong Kong, prompting the Observatory to issue a "red rain" warning three times within half a day. The steering committee on handling extreme weather," led by Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan, announced the suspension of all day schools in Hong Kong a day in advance for the following day (July 11). Former Observatory Director Lam Chiu-ying acknowledged on a radio program today (July 14) the committee's approach of valuing life, but noted that no matter how advanced technology is, it can't compete with nature. He also pointed out that the government has made significant progress in coordinating responses to extreme weather.
Lam mentioned that the Observatory's forecasts this time deviated from expectations and viewed the committee's decision to announce school closures a day early as a demonstration of valuing life. He stated that while current weather predictions utilize numerical models and AI assistance, they can only forecast heavy rain one day in advance, with predicting events two to three hours ahead being the limit. He added that Hong Kong's rain warning signal system has been adjusted over the past 30 years, and citizens have adapted to it. If the system is not functioning optimally, it must be re-evaluated with public safety as the top priority.
Lam recalled during his time as Assistant Director of the Observatory that he had to personally visit various departments to remind them to prepare for extreme weather. He noted that with the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, the government now tends to coordinate responses more effectively, describing this as a significant improvement, with all departments responding together on a unified command.
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