Hong Kong Observatory issues first cold weather warning of winter
Elderly and sick urged not to ‘tough it out’ during festive period if they need help
The Observatory issued its first cold weather warning of the winter season as temperatures plunged several degrees on Tuesday, but the cooler temperatures were not expected to last and a relatively warm new year is likely.
The alert prompted the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (SCHSA), a 24-hour call centre, to urge the elderly and those with chronic illnesses not to “tough it out” during the holidays as past figures showed that many delayed calling for help until after the festivities.
After a warm Christmas holiday, temperatures dropped six to seven degrees to as low as 13 degrees Celsius at 8am and ranged from 15 to 17 degrees across Hong Kong at 5pm.
Dr Cheng Cho-ming, assistant director of the Observatory, said an intense northeast monsoon affecting southern China meant temperatures were expected to dip below 12 degrees in rural areas on Wednesday.
“The intense northeast monsoon is expected to persist and therefore the morning weather will remain rather cool in the following few days,” Cheng said.