Today's weather for Hong Kong, Hong Kong26th Nov 2009 01:00

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Weather Overview for Hong Kong

The bustling and modern metropolis of Hong Kong is nowadays Special Administrative Region of China, since its handover from the British to the Chinese in 1997.

Hong Kong lies on China’s southern coast and grew to be the place it is today thanks in large to its position as a vital trading port on the South China Sea. Macau lies just 80kms to the east on the other side of the Pearl River Delta.

Hong Kong has a humid sub-tropical climate. Summers are hot and wet while winters are dry but milder. Temperatures across the year vary from lows of 13C in January to highs of 31C in July and August. Rainfall is around 1300mm a year, though the hilly areas around Tai Mo Shan can see as much as 3000mm a year.

The weather is good year round in Hong Kong, though it can get quite hot muggy and wet in summer. For the best conditions chose late autumn, winter or early spring.

Summer

June to September are the hottest months of the year, with average temperature up to 29C. It is also quite humid at this time so things can get very sweaty especially if you are rushing around the city. Even at their lowest, temperatures stay above 26C in summer so it really is quite warm.

Summer also sees a lot of rainfall. It falls within the May to September period when the Asiatic monsoon arrives with rains from the southwest. These months see 80% of the annual rainfall. June, July and August is the wettest of these months. August sees the most precipitation with average rainfall of 281mm.

Between July and September Hong Kong is at its most vulnerable to tropical cyclones, though the official cyclone season runs from May to November. As many as 30 tropical storms build up every year in the South China Sea and about half of them reach cyclone strength. They can de devastating forces of natures bringing heavy winds and rains and causing landslides and floods. Loss of life and damage to buildings is a real danger. Rarely does Hong Kong suffer a direct cyclone hit, but it is often caught in the outer edge of these massive storms and can see a whole month’s average rainfall arrive in just a day.

Autumn

October sees the retreat of the rains. There is lots of sun and temperatures begin to cool too, making it a great time to visit. October averages 26C and November 22C, while rainfall drops to around 20mm. Occasional heavy downpours and thunderstorms can still occur into November but they are rare.

Winter

Winter is basically dry and mild and is a comfortable time to visit the city, especially if you’re in for a busy stay. Average temperatures fall to their lowest of 16C in January, with highs of 18C and lows of 13C. December and February are similar if a degree or two warmer.

Rainfall is very low at around 20mm per month.

Spring

Another good time in Hong Kong. Temperatures are frequently in the 20s: March averages 20C, April 24C and May 26C. By May it is starting to get hot and muggy and highs climb into the 30s.

April sees the building of the rains and the first storms of the year. Between March and April monthly rainfall more than doubles from 45mm to 112mm, and from then on it stays rainy until September.

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