Hong Kong issues first very hot weather warning of the year, with heatwave expected through Friday

“Hong Kong has issued its first “very hot weather” warning of the year, with the city expected to endure a heatwave through Friday. The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) issued the warning at 7.45am on Tuesday, with the mercury expected to reach 35 degrees Celsius. A man is running in Hong Kong ‘s public space File photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP. The warning is triggered when the mercury is set to reach, or exceed, 33 degrees Celsius. As of around 1:30pm on Tuesday, Cheung Chau was seeing temperatures of 32.1 degrees Celsius. The city recorded its hottest day of the year on Monday, as temperatures hit 32 degrees Celsius. The HKO has alerted the public of the risks of heat stroke and sunburn. The heatwave is expected to continue through to Friday, as an anticyclone aloft brings very hot weather and low pressure to the coast of Guangdong, according to the HKO. Highs of 33 degrees Celsius are predicted between Tuesday and Friday, while the lows will range between 27 and 29 degrees. Hong Kong may see showers during this weekend, as temperature dip slightly to 26-30 degrees Celsius. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that the intensity and frequency of heatwaves have continued to increase since the 1950s due to human-caused climate change. The prevalence of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide – which trap heat in the atmosphere – raises the planet’s surface temperature, with hotter, longer heatwaves putting lives at risk. See also: How extreme heat became the deadliest silent killer among world weather disasters Hong Kong has already warmed by 1.7 degrees Celsius since the Industrial Revolution, research NGO Berkeley Earth says . Heat and humidity may reach lethal levels for protracted periods by the end of the century, according to a 2023 study , making it impossible to stay outdoors in some parts of the world. In a Tuesday statement, the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health reminded members of the public to hydrate regularly, and to avoid strenuous exercise and prolonged activities such as hiking. It also suggested that outdoor or manual workers should reschedule work to cooler hours as far as possible. Nevertheless, as of Tuesday lunchtime, the Labour Department has not yet issued a heat stress warning – a a three-tier warning system introduced in 2023 to help protect Hong Kong workers from heatstroke. Outbound travel during long weekend Hongkongers enjoyed a three-day weekend, with Monday marking Buddha’s Birthday. People at Shenzhen Bay Port. File photo: GovHK. According to the Immigration Department, Hong Kong residents made over 615,000 outbound journeys on Saturday, with over 557,000 travellers heading northbound to Shenzhen and other destinations in mainland China. The figure marks a week-on-week increase of 36.7 per cent. From Friday to Monday, Hong Kong residents made nearly 1.87 million outbound trips – a rise of 30.8 per cent compared to the same period last week.

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