First cold weather warning of the year issued by Hong Kong Observatory. Photo: Edmond SoThe Hong Kong Observatory issued the first cold weather warning of the year on Thursday afternoon. Temperatures are expected to dip to seven degrees Celsius (44.6 Fahrenheit) or lower in some areas over the weekend.
The forecaster said the weather would be persistently cold on Friday morning and over the weekend under the influence of an intense winter monsoon, with temperatures predicted to be around 11 degrees in urban areas.
The mercury may drop to seven degrees or below with strong winds and possible frost in parts of the New Territories and on high ground.
“Under clear skies, radiation cooling will be rather significant overnight during the weekend, with a chance of frost over inland areas of the New Territories and on high ground,” the forecaster said.
“Members of the public are reminded to keep warm and take care of the elderly and people with chronic medical conditions.”
7 words to describe the cold, from cool to bone-chilling
The Observatory recorded the lowest temperature so far this winter at 11.9 degrees on December 20.
Temperatures over the coast of Guangdong will rise slightly early next week, ranging from 14 to 21 degrees, as the monsoon is expected to be replaced by an easterly airstream.
A surge of the northeast monsoon is forecast to affect Guangdong in the middle and latter parts of next week.
The weather forecaster earlier predicted warmer but drier than usual weather in the first three months of 2025 following an almost rainless December.
It was predicted to be normal to above normal during the period, against the backdrop of climate warming, which led to a “significant long-term increase” in Hong Kong’s temperatures.