Record May temperatures just the beginning for Hong Kong as global warming means heatwave will be new normal, forecaster says

City broke 10 temperature records this year as it baked through highest number of ‘very hot’ days

Warmest spring since 1885, maximum temperature of 35.4 degrees Celsius, while weather warning ran for 348 hours

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Chiu Ka-wai (left) and cousin Wu Pik-yee, with a thermometer showing the temperature reaching 35.3 degrees Celsius in their rooftop dwelling in Tai Kok Tsui. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 9:02pm, 29 Nov 2018Updated: 1:00pm, 1 Dec 2018

Hong Kong broke 10 temperature records this year, all of which happened in May, and according to the Observatory global warming means the city can expect more of the same in the years to come.

The city recorded the highest mean maximum temperature in the first half of this year, sweated through the highest number of “very hot” days in May, and baked through the longest hot weather warning since record keeping began in 1884.

City residents are also facing a warmer winter, with higher chances of rain due to the onset of the El Nino effect, the official forecaster predicted.

A child relaxes under the electronic fan on a hot day in Sham Shui Po during the heatwave that hit the city in May. Photo: Sam Tsang

“With global warming, we can expect that such record breaking events will continue to happen,” said Observatory chief Shun Chi-ming.

It was the city’s warmest spring since 1885, with a mean maximum temperature of 27.7 degrees Celsius (81.86 Fahrenheit), just surpassing the previous record of 27.5 degrees in 1977.