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Eric Jiang

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Hong Kong enjoyed a few sunny spells on the Tuen Ng Festival, just a day after the city issued its top-tier black rainstorm warning twice only hours apart, as some hiking experts warned outdoor enthusiasts to be mindful of safety hazards.
The Hong Kong Observatory said that Friday, the day of this year’s Dragon Boat Festival, would see sunny intervals and hot weather after being mainly cloudy with a few showers and isolated thunderstorms earlier.
The hot weather was expected to continue over the weekend, it said.
The forecaster added that there would be moderate to fresh southerly winds, with conditions occasionally turning gusty offshore and on high ground under the influence of a subtropical ridge.
Despite the end of the heavy downpours, some experts said hikers and nature lovers should beware of safety hazards arising from the recent weather.
Umer Abdullah, an event organiser with the Hong Kong Hiking Meetup group, said that outdoor enthusiasts should choose familiar trails with good footing on Saturday, adding they should take breaks at non-slippery spots if it started to rain.
He also cautioned hikers to be mindful of the heat on Sunday.
“Healthy individuals with appropriate hydration and sun protection can proceed with hiking,” he said.

Abdullah recommended checking the weather forecast before setting out and avoiding unfamiliar trails after rain, warning that streams and waterfalls posed flash flood risks even when rainfall was occurring kilometres away.
Hikers should wear shoes with good traction and carry hiking sticks on slippery trails and seek cover immediately if they hear thunder nearby, he added.
Thursday’s heavy rainfall also left farmers in the northern New Territories working to salvage their remaining crops or counting their losses.
“This is the first time I have seen two black rainstorm warnings in a day during the past 15 years of my career in agriculture,” said Flora Wong Wah-fong, owner of Blue Girl Organic Farm.
She said the losses at her farm were tangible but manageable, thanks to its mix of elevated and low-lying land – conditions that flat farms in the area lacked.
“If your whole farm is on low ground, the damage will have been much worse,” she said.
Wong added that farmers in the area had not been caught entirely off guard, with many planting wax gourds and sweet potatoes ahead of the wet season, and training the vines up trellises to keep the crops clear of standing water.
Leung Yat-shun, the owner of Shun Sum Yuen Farm in San Tin, shared on Facebook that he was working to salvage a massive sunflower field on Friday that had been submerged the day before.
The pictures he shared online showed that many sunflowers had been toppled by the weather, while some remained intact.
The Drainage Services Department said on Thursday that 19 locations across the New Territories had been inundated throughout the day, including Fan Kam Road, Lau Fau Shan, Sheung Shui and parts of Yuen Long.


Sunny spells for Dragon Boat Festival, day after 2 black rainstorm warnings

Lightning strike must spark better safety measures during storms

Hong Kong’s New Territories battered by rains, floods

Hong Kong Observatory’s warning system for heavy rain and what you should do to stay safe

Hong Kong weather

Hongkongers take advantage of the change in weather. Photo: Karma Lo

Thursday’s weather also left farmers in the northern New Territories working to salvage their remaining crops or counting their losses. Photo: Facebook/Shun Sum Yuen Farm

People visit the Avenue of Stars on Friday. Photo: Edmond So

Residents make a splash in the waters off Lantau Island. Photo: Karma Lo

Dragon Boat Festival drums up a buzz as unsettled weather fails to dampen spirits

Paddlers power through the water in Aberdeen. Photo: Elson Li

Naomi Watanabe competed for the Hong Kong Japanese Dragon Boat Club. Photo: Vivian Au

Spectators fill the Aberdeen promenade to watch the races. Photo: Elson Li

Mainland tourist Ruan is attending the Stanley races for the first time with his five-year-old daughter, Anne. Photo: Vivian Au

More than 3,600 competitors across 109 teams took part in 28 races this year. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Hong Kong issues 2 black rainstorm warnings in 1 day as downpours hit city

The Hong Kong Observatory earlier warned of heavy showers, squally thunderstorms and flooding risks across several districts. Photo: Handout

Heavy rain inundated 13 locations across the New Territories. Photo: Handout

The Observatory warned of flooding risks across several districts. Photo: Handout

A black rainstorm warning indicates that very heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall generally across the area. Photo: Handout

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Hong Kong

News

Health & Environment

Hong Kong Observatory says hot weather likely to continue over weekend, as hikers warned to be mindful of conditions


Hong Kong Observatory says hot weather likely to continue over weekend, as hikers warned to be mindful of conditions.


Dragon Boat Festival

Hong Kong Observatory

Hong Kong society

Drainage Services Department

Sunny spells for Dragon Boat Festival, day after 2 black rainstorm warnings

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Hong Kong Observatory says hot weather likely to continue over weekend, as hikers warned to be mindful of conditions

Hong Kong Observatory says hot weather likely to continue over weekend, as hikers warned to be mindful of conditions