Opinion | When the Hong Kong Observatory does such a good job, why do we complain so much about it?
- Its work is much misunderstood and its timing when raising typhoon and rainstorm signals attracts a lot of complaints
- Yet the Observatory has a much better forecast accuracy than the public realises and has won international recognition for its work
Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. That’s the Hong Kong Observatory’s dilemma whenever it comes to raising either a No 8 typhoon warning or a black rainstorm signal.
Some believe that these weather warnings are tied to economics rather than science, as they also signal the shuttering of most businesses and a halt to trading on the HK$45.3 trillion (US$5.8 trillion) Hong Kong stock exchange.
However, the Observatory uses strict criteria to guide the typhoon warning system, such as distance from Hong Kong, speed of sustained winds and speed of gusts. Rainstorm warning signals are determined by the amount of rainfall in wide areas of the city. Just like elsewhere, Hong Kong prioritises public safety over economics.
Inevitably though, controversy surrounds the timing of when rainstorm and typhoon signals are hoisted, as if the Observatory can actually “schedule” the weather.
03:42
Hong Kong shut down by Typhoon Kompasu, second severe storm to lash the city in less than a week