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Fiona Sun

Wednesday’s forecast of severe squally thunderstorms in Hong Kong could upset plans for the city to host a fireworks display intended to welcome mainland Chinese tourists visiting for the Labour Day “golden week” holiday.
The Hong Kong Observatory said in the morning that a trough of low pressure was bringing heavy showers and thunderstorms to Guangdong province and nearby waters.
The forecaster extended a thunderstorm warning issued at 7.17pm on Tuesday until 10am on Wednesday.
“Locally, about 30mm of rainfall was recorded over many places this morning, and rainfall even exceeded 50mm over Sai Kung,” it said.
Hongkongers can expect cloudy weather with showers and severe squally thunderstorms on Wednesday, with moderate east to northeasterly winds that at times may turn gusty.
Temperatures are expected to fall between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius (71.6 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit).


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The unstable weather marked a wet start to the golden week holiday, which runs for five days on the mainland, with the city expected to welcome at least 800,000 visitors from across the border throughout the break.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu earlier said authorities were ready for the holiday, vowing to tell the public as soon as possible about any changes to the fireworks display at Victoria Harbour.
The display will be the first in a series of similar events announced in Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s latest budget, with Wednesday’s show including patterns such as smiley faces and the letters “HK” as the pyrotechnics soar up to 100 metres (328 feet) into the night sky.
Rockie Ip Ting-kwok, director of operations of Harbour Cruise – Bauhinia, told a radio programme that customers who bought tickets to the display could opt for a refund or reschedule, or still join the cruise trips and get back the price difference.
But he said planned cruise trips would not be cancelled unless a No 8 typhoon warning signal was issued, noting there were still other things to see, such as the installation of illuminated egg-shaped objects lighting up Victoria Harbour.
Each cruise could carry 350 to 400 people, and the current booking rate was about 200 each, he added.
Bad weather, weaker yuan could hit Hong Kong restaurants hard over ‘golden week’
The Observatory said that occasional rainfall and thunderstorms were forecast for Thursday, as well as a few showers over the following couple of days.
The forecaster previously issued a hail warning at 10pm on Tuesday, saying hail had been reported in the Pearl River Delta region.
Hong Kong issued an amber rainstorm warning at 9.30pm that day, which ran until 11pm.
The city also recorded more than 6,100 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes on Tuesday night.

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Hong Kong weather

Severe thunderstorms threaten to put damper on Hong Kong’s Labour Day fireworks

Hong Kong witnessed numerous lightning strikes on Tuesday night, including some over Tai Po. Photo: Eugene Lee

Bad weather and weaker yuan cast cloud over Hong Kong ‘golden week’ hopes and could cut trade in restaurants by 30%

Visitors pose for a photo in Tsim Sha Tsui. Authorities have said there may be last-minute changes to a Victoria Harbour fireworks display on May 1. Photo: Sam Tsang

Tourists from mainland China take pictures in Hong Kong. Photo: Sam Tsang

Sky’s the limit as Hong Kong rolls out red carpet, primes fireworks for Labour Day ‘golden week’

Tourists flock to the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, expected to be a top attraction for the Labour Day “golden week” holiday. Photo: Jelly Tse

Travellers on their way to Macau at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

Holidaymakers head to Macau at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port on Thursday. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Observatory says trough of low pressure is bringing heavy showers and thunderstorms to Guangdong province and nearby waters
City also recorded more than 6,100 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes amid unstable weather on Tuesday night


City also recorded more than 6,100 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes amid unstable weather on Tuesday night.


Hong Kong tourism

Golden week

Tourism