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At least one youngster found a way to cool off at Ocean Park yesterday.Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong’s record heat likely to stay on the boil after hottest June in a century

Hong Kong last month experienced its hottest June since records began more than a century ago - and the city can expect hotter-than-usual weather for the next two months.

Lai Ying-kit

Hong Kong last month experienced its hottest June since records began more than a century ago - and the city can expect hotter-than-usual weather for the next two months.

The average mean temperature last month hit a scorching 29.7 degrees Celsius, the highest since records began in 1885. That is 1.8 degrees higher than the June average of 27.9 degrees, figures from the Hong Kong Observatory show.

This is the second consecutive year the monthly average temperature has hit a new high in June. The previous record was smashed last year when the mercury hit 29 degrees on average for the first time.

According to the Observatory's forecasts, the hotter-than-usual weather will continue in July and August, with temperatures likely to range between "normal to above normal" levels.

Chief experimental officer Li Kin-wai said a sub-tropical ridge in the West Pacific Ocean - which brought hot weather to the city in June - was expected to continue to influence Hong Kong in the coming months.

"The extent of the heat will depend on how westward it will extend to," Li said. "The further west it goes the hotter it will be."

In March, weather officials said the city should be prepared for more temperature records this year, with more frequent heatwaves and hot spells and fewer cold days.

The records broken last month included the numbers of "very hot days" and "hot nights".

This June, there were 13 hot nights - when the minimum temperature during the night reaches 28 degrees or more. This was one night more than the previous record of 12 in 1995.

The number of very hot days - when the maximum temperature reaches 33 degrees or above - was 10, equalling the record set in 1980.

Li said that except for brief rainy periods, most of the days in June were fine and hot.

"The city saw mostly southerly winds last month. With the South China Sea being warmer than usual, the winds brought much heat to the city," Li said.

Elsewhere, Europe and central Asia also saw record-breaking temperatures in recent days.

Britain's Met Office said Wednesday was the hottest July day since records began in the 1800s based on the 36.7 degrees recorded at London's Heathrow airport.

The past week brought record June temperatures in Spain, with Madrid recording its highest temperature in 95 years as thermometers recorded temperatures close to 40 degrees.

French officials expected their heatwave was just beginning. On Tuesday, southwest France saw temperatures reaching 42 degrees, and Turkmenistan reported its hottest June on record, with daytime temperatures exceeding 40 degrees in the shade 16 times.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Record heat likely to stay on the boil
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