Hong Kong braces for sharp temperature drop as spring officially begins. Photo: Edmond SoThe Hong Kong Observatory has advised residents to bundle up as temperatures are expected to plummet to 14 degrees Celsius, with even cooler conditions expected in rural areas Monday night.
The forecaster said the weather would become appreciably cooler and be accompanied by one or two rain patches over the coast of Guangdong under the influence of a cold front that day.
Monday is also li chun – the first day of spring in the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. It is the first of 24 solar terms signifying natural phenomena and the changing of seasons.
“Locally, temperatures over the territory this morning were generally around 2 to 4 degrees lower than those of yesterday,” the Observatory said.
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“It is expected to remain cool during the day, with temperatures falling progressively later to a minimum of about 14 degrees in the urban area tonight, and a couple of degrees lower in the New Territories.
“Members of the public should be aware of the change in weather and keep warm.”
Temperatures fell to less than 9 degrees on Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s highest peak, and at Tate’s Cairn on Monday morning.
According to the latest forecast, Tuesday will record a minimum temperature of 13 degrees. Mercury readings are expected to range between 14 and 18 degrees for the rest of the week.
Under the influence of a fresh easterly airstream, the weather is likely to be mainly cloudy during the middle and latter parts of the week.