Hong Kong recorded its lowest temperature for the season so far on Saturday, as the mercury dropped to 8.1 degrees Celsius (46.6 Fahrenheit) in urban areas, with the weather forecaster warning over slippery roads as icy conditions might develop in some places.
The Hong Kong Observatory on Saturday 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.
The minimum temperature of 8.1 degrees recorded at the Observatory’s Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters was the lowest for urban areas for the season so far.
Temperatures in Hong Kong to drop to 8 degrees on Friday, Observatory says
Temperatures in Hong Kong to drop to 8 degrees on Friday, Observatory says
The forecaster 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.
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.
