appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Connor Mycroft

Wynna Wong

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong readers now get 50 per cent off their first year of subscription until September 21, 2025.
Read the latest: Hong Kong issues T3 as storm Mitag nears; kindergarten classes suspended
Hong Kong’s weather forecaster will issue the No 3 typhoon signal on Friday morning, with classes at kindergartens and some special schools cancelled, as two storms barrel towards the city.
The Observatory said on Thursday that the two storm formations were entering the region, with the one further away predicted to intensify into a super typhoon next week.
The closer of the two, Tropical Storm Mitag, was expected to intensify under the combined effect of the northeast monsoon, with strong winds set to affect the city overnight.
The forecaster said it would issue the No 3 signal between 9am and 11am on Friday.
“According to the present forecast track, Mitag will make landfall over the coast of eastern Guangdong later [on Friday] to early Saturday,” the forecaster said. “Showers are expected to increase gradually [on Friday].”
Classes at kindergartens and schools for children with physical and intellectual disabilities would be suspended on Friday due to the No 3 typhoon signal, authorities said.
The No 1 typhoon signal was issued on Wednesday night. Mitag is a woman’s name from Micronesia meaning “my eyes” in the Yapese language.
The Observatory earlier warned that hail could hit the city on Thursday afternoon, but later said that it had not recorded any instances and had removed the notice from its forecast.
The forecaster also said that another tropical storm, Ragasa, over the western North Pacific to the east of the Philippines would intensify significantly and move towards the vicinity of the Luzon Strait in the coming days.
It predicted that Ragasa, a Filipino word meaning rapid or fast motion, would gradually intensify into a super typhoon at about 400km away from the city on Tuesday evening, with wind speeds at its centre as high as 185km/h.
Some experts said it was possible the No 10 hurricane signal – the highest level – would be issued next week, although there was still uncertainty over the storm’s movement.
“The tropical cyclone [is still] very far away in the Pacific Ocean, and may develop into a super typhoon that could perhaps pose a threat of a No 10 signal, but that would be Wednesday or Thursday next week,” said Leung Wing-mo, a former assistant director of the Observatory.
Clarence Fong Chi-kong, an independent forecaster and founder of the website Weather Underground of Hong Kong, said it was premature to make predictions about the storm and that the situation would become clearer at the weekend or on Monday.




Fong noted that some experts were comparing the potential storm with Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, which triggered the No 10 signal for 10 hours – the second-longest since World War II.
“Although some forecast models predict the storm next week coming close to Hong Kong, other models predict a more westward track towards the Leizhou Peninsula or even Hainan Island,” he said.
“The latest ensemble forecasts have a larger spread than Mangkhut, which means a higher uncertainty in the [storm’s] future track.”
The Observatory also issued a “very hot weather” warning earlier on Thursday, as the mercury hovered at around 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit) in urban areas, and maximum temperatures soared to above 35 degrees in Yuen Long Park.
Sheung Shui, Lau Fau Shan and Tai Po registered temperatures of above 34 degrees.
The forecaster said the weather was expected to remain very hot for the rest of Thursday.
Winds would strengthen gradually on Friday, with showers likely to occur.
Occasional squally showers and thunderstorms were also expected over the weekend, with the public advised to stay away from the shoreline and refrain from taking part in water sports.


‘Soaking wet’: Hong Kong parents furious after last-minute rain warning change

Hong Kong’s northern New Territories hit by heavy rain and flooding

Improved defences will help Hong Kong weather typhoon season

Hong Kong records hottest day of year so far as temperatures top 31.6 degrees

Hong Kong weather

Hong Kong set to issue T3 typhoon signal as 2 storms head towards city

Visitors take photos at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront amid the No 1 typhoon standby signal. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong to keep T1 signal in effect as tropical depression edges closer

Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has said a No 1 typhoon warning signal will remain in effect on Thursday. Photo: Jelly Tse

People at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront during Typhoon Tapah on September 8. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong set for rain, squally thunderstorms next week as 3 low-pressure areas develop

Hong Kong’s weather is expected to become unstable next week as three low-pressure areas develop over the South China Sea. Photo: Sam Tsang

News

Hong Kong

Society

Forecaster says it will issue the No 3 typhoon signal between 9am and 11am on Friday


Forecaster says it will issue the No 3 typhoon signal between 9am and 11am on Friday.


China

Hong Kong set to issue T3 typhoon signal as 2 storms head towards city

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Forecaster says it will issue the No 3 typhoon signal between 9am and 11am on Friday

Forecaster says it will issue the No 3 typhoon signal between 9am and 11am on Friday