Tropical Cyclone Fengshen entered Hong Kong's 800-kilometer monitoring zone last night (Oct 19). The Hong Kong Observatory is considering directly issuing the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. today (Oct 20).
Mr. Shum Chi-tai, Acting Senior Scientific Officer at the Observatory, said in a radio interview this morning that although Fengshen's intensity is expected to weaken, it may interact with the northeast monsoon along the South China coast, creating a combined effect that could strengthen local winds.
The Observatory will assess whether to issue the No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal based on three key factors:
- The distance between Fengshen's gale-force wind radius and Hong Kong
- Fengshen's northernmost position
- The timing of its southwestward turn
Currently, Fengshen is located over the central to northern part of the South China Sea and has intensified into a tropical storm. It is expected to move northwestward to west-northwestward throughout the day. Meanwhile, a northeast monsoon is affecting the Guangdong coast, bringing stronger northerly winds to Hong Kong. The pressure gradient along the coast is tight, enhancing the wind effect.
Despite the monsoon's expected weakening of Fengshen's strength, the combined influence could still lead to strong winds along the South China coast. Therefore, the Observatory is considering issuing Signal No. 3 this evening.
As Fengshen approaches, Hong Kong will become cloudier with increasing showers, and temperatures will drop significantly. Urban temperatures may drop to about 19°C from Tuesday through Thursday (October 21–24), with even lower readings (2–3°C) in the New Territories.
Additionally, astronomical tides in the coming days, combined with the monsoon and Fengshen, may lead to coastal flooding in low-lying areas. Victoria Harbour's water level could rise up to 3 meters above the chart datum between Tuesday and Thursday.
Regarding the possibility of hoisting Signal No. 8, Shum reiterated that it depends on the three aforementioned factors. He noted that the northeast monsoon continues to dominate the region, and although Fengshen is weakening and moving slowly, there is still uncertainty around when and where it will turn southwest. The Observatory will continue to monitor the situation closely.
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Strong Wind Signal No. 3 considered issuing between 5 pm and 7 pm
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