Mid-Autumn Festival moon-gazing still a go, says Hong Kong Observatory, even as typhoon Meranti prompts signal No 1

The Hong Kong Observatory issued typhoon standby signal No 1 at 10.10am on Wednesday as super typhoon Meranti approached, though those looking to forward to the Mid-Autumn Festival could still have reason to celebrate.

Spots of rain and some cloudy weather are on the horizon but moon-gazing may still be possible on Thursday night, Observatory senior scientific officer Queenie Lam Ching-chi said.

“We expect Thursday to be cloudy with a few showers, but there will still be a chance of viewing the moon in between clouds tomorrow night, and the weather will improve on Friday,” said Lam.

“The threat to Hong Kong from super typhoon Meranti is comparably less [than to Taiwan and mainland China] as the latest forecast track moves further away from Hong Kong compared to yesterday’s.”

Lam said the threat of an upgrade to strong wind signal No 3, let alone No 8 was not high, good news for travellers looking to get away for the holidays.

Ahead of the storm warning, the Observatory issued a very hot weather warning at 6.45am on Wednesday as it expected a maximum temperature of about 33 degrees Celsius.

Weather later in the day will turn cloudy with isolated showers and a few thunderstorms.

“People staying indoors without air conditioning should keep windows open as far as possible to ensure that there is adequate ventilation,” the Observatory warned, adding that people working outdoors should drink plenty of water and avoid overexertion.

The Observatory advised members of the public to call or visit the elderly or people with chronic medical conditions, occasionally to check if they needed help as the risk of heatstroke was high.