Coldest day in 59 years unexpected: Hong Kong meteorologists describe forecast challenges as imperfect science
Observatory and other weather experts respond to criticism for underestimating the severity of the weekend cold snap
Forecasts for extreme weather systems are never 100 per cent accurate and not simply the work of looking at statistics, local meteorologists emphasised.
Minimum temperatures Sunday dropped to 3.1 degrees on Sunday afternoon – more than five degrees lower than what was originally predicted and the city’s lowest reading since 1957.
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Only last week, the Observatory stated that its grasp of Hong Kong weather was much better than overseas bodies or unofficial forecasters on the internet, as US and European-based systems indicated temperatures would be far lower than the Observatory’s “six to eight degree” estimate.
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Dr Alexis Lau Kai-hon, a meteorologist with the University of Science and Technology, said making forecasts for such extreme weather events was as “difficult as forecasting movements in the stock market”.
Lau, who studies numerical weather prediction, said that “the rate of false alarm and the probability of detection” had to be taken into account.
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He added that deriving a forecast from computer models was easy but that it was not surprising the Observatory drew upon further human interpretation or adjustment, which he said was prudent, as looking only at quantitative data would make the forecaster prone to “systemic bias”.
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He said the recent inaccurate forecast was a minor “slip” and an isolated incident. “This is a one-off case and judging their performance based on this one incident is just not scientific,” Leung said. “Forecasts are never 100 per cent accurate”.
Regarding the rise of alternative forecasting platforms, Leung expressed reservations about unofficial online forecasters as no one could tell whether their projections resulted from sheer luck or superior skill. Fong, operating such a site, said there was no harm in looking at forecasts from different sources.
The Observatory said it made reference to the “best computer numerical weather prediction models from around the world”.
The models include the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast, Japan Meteorological Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“After adjusting these model forecasts based on such factors as their past performance, forecast position and actual observations, a consolidated forecast will be generated for the public,” the observatory said in a statement last night.
Last year, the average forecast error in temperature based was about one to two degrees.
