Sheung Shui hits 39.8C in record Hong Kong heat
HK01 · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong saw exceptional heat on Saturday, with the Hong Kong Observatory recording 36.9 degrees Celsius, the highest since records began in 1884. In Sheung Shui, temperatures reached 39.7 degrees Celsius by 3:15pm and were later updated to 39.8 degrees Celsius by 3:30pm, the highest recorded within Hong Kong since automatic weather stations were introduced in the 1980s. The Observatory said the extreme heat was caused by subsiding air on the outer edge of Severe Typhoon Podul, while weak inland winds made it harder for heat to disperse. Former assistant director Leung Wing-mo said Sheung Shui’s three-sided mountain setting traps heat and blocks sea breezes, making it a classic inland hot spot
Key Points
- By 3:15pm, the Observatory’s maximum temperature reached 36.9 degrees Celsius, setting Hong Kong’s highest reading since records began in 1884
- Sheung Shui recorded 39.7 degrees Celsius at 3:15pm, later revised to 39.8 degrees Celsius at 3:30pm on the Observatory website
- RTHK said the Sheung Shui reading was the highest in Hong Kong since automatic weather stations were installed in the 1980s
- By 5pm, 13 weather stations had recorded 37 degrees Celsius or above, including Wong Tai Sin and Happy Valley at 38.2 degrees Celsius
- Leung Wing-mo said Podul was about 1,000 kilometres away, but its subsiding air, weak winds and inland airflow intensified Hong Kong’s heat
Why It Matters
The forecast points to continued extreme heat over the next one to two days, with some districts expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius or above. The Observatory expects temperatures to remain very hot into midweek, although a southwesterly airstream and later upper-air disturbances may gradually ease conditions and bring more showers.