Hong Kong logs lowest temperature this winter at 8.1 degrees, issues first frost warning amid risk of slippery roads and possible icy conditions
- Hong Kong Observatory issues first frost warning since January 29, saying it is likely to form on Sunday morning on high ground and in northern New Territories
- Mercury dipped to between 6 and 7 degrees in parts of Kowloon, Sai Kung, Sha Tin and Tai Po, with cold weather expected to last through to Christmas Day
Hong Kong recorded its lowest urban area temperature for the winter at 8.1 degrees Celsius (46.6 Fahrenheit) and issued its first frost warning on Saturday, with the local forecaster alerting residents to possible icy conditions that could lead to slippery roads.
The Hong Kong Observatory said a winter monsoon and rainband were behind the cold weather in the morning, with parts of Kowloon, Sai Kung, Sha Tin and Tai Po recording temperatures between 6 and 7 degrees.
“Owing to possible icing conditions on high ground, members of the public, motorists and cyclists should be aware of the danger on slippery roads,” the Observatory said, advising residents to avoid staying outside in wintry winds for long periods, especially in exposed areas.
Temperatures in Hong Kong to drop to 8 degrees on Friday, Observatory says
The minimum temperature of 8.1 degrees recorded at the forecaster’s Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters was the lowest for urban areas so far this season.
At 4:30pm, the Observatory issued its first frost warning of the season, which it had not done since January 29. The forecaster warned farmers that ground frost was likely to occur on Sunday morning on high ground and in the northern part of the New Territories.
The Observatory said temperatures between 8 and 12 degrees would continue over Christmas Eve on Sunday and into Christmas Day, with the mercury gradually rising in the middle of next week.
The Centre for Health Protection on Saturday said the cold weather could trigger or exacerbate conditions, such as chronic respiratory illnesses or heart disease, especially among the elderly and people with chronic illnesses.
“Elderly people have less insulating fat beneath their skin to keep them warm and their body temperature control mechanism may be weaker,” the spokesman said. “Their body may not be able to appropriately respond to the cold weather.”
The centre recommended that vulnerable people wear warm clothing such as hats, scarves and gloves.
They should also avoid staying too long outdoors, exercise regularly to facilitate blood circulation and heat production, and seek medical advice if they became unwell, it added.
Hiker on Hong Kong’s highest peak missing amid freezing cold
The Observatory issued the first cold weather warning of the season on Saturday last week when temperatures fell to 12 degrees in urban areas and to single digits in the New Territories.
But experts earlier told the Post that the city would experience fewer cooler days in coming winters as global warming pushed the mercury higher.
The Observatory also expected this winter would yield fewer cold days, referring to when temperatures drop below 12 degrees, than past years as a result of climate warming. The trend was likely to continue in the coming years, it said.
Hong Kong recorded 13 cold days last winter.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said a hiker who went missing on Thursday on Hong Kong’s highest peak, Tai Mo Shan, had not been found as of Saturday evening.
The spokesman added that Tai Mo Shan Road via Route Twisk was no longer blocked for the search operation as of 5.25pm.
Police on Friday morning said they had received the call at around 4pm the day before from a Mandarin-speaking man, who said he was hiking on Tai Mo Shan, but could no longer continue because of the cold weather.
Emergency services began a search on Friday, involving police, Fire Services Department, Government Flying Service and Civil Aid Service personnel.
