Hong Kong wakes to coldest morning this winter, as mercury drops below 10 degrees Celsius and expected to dip further on Friday

Hong Kong woke up to its coldest morning this winter on Thursday, with the mercury dropping below 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) in urban areas and temperatures expected to dip even further on Friday.

The Hong Kong Observatory said it recorded a minimum temperature of 9.8 degrees in the morning at its Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters, the season’s lowest this year.

Temperatures on Tai Mo Shan, Hong Kong’s tallest mountain at 957 metres (3,140 feet), dipped to near freezing at 0.3 degrees at around 4am.

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Cold spell to chill Hong Kong in winter solstice, Christmas: forecaster

Sheung Shui and Tai Po in the New Territories recorded temperatures below 8 degrees, while the mercury in the Kowloon neighbourhoods of Wong Tai Sin and Kowloon City hovered at about 9 degrees.

The forecaster warned on Thursday afternoon that the minimum temperature on Friday morning was expected to be around 8 degrees in urban areas and even lower in the New Territories.

“The temperature felt by the body will be lower than the actual air temperature,” it said. “Members of the public are advised to keep warm, take care of the elderly and people with chronic medical conditions.”

The Observatory expected the weather to remain cloudy and dry, with humidity levels averaging 60 per cent.

The city will also experience moderate to fresh northerly winds that are strong offshore and on high ground.

Hong Kong Observatory issues first cold weather warning for winter

“The winter monsoon will continue to bring cold and dry weather to the coastal areas of southern China in the next few days,” the forecaster said.

Temperatures would rise slightly by the middle of next week as the monsoon moderated, it added.

A cold weather warning signal has been in force since 4.20pm on Wednesday, with the government opening temporary shelters run by the Home Affairs Department across the city for those in need.

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority ‘well prepared’ for surge in demand over winter

Residents can expect the cold weather to remain through to Christmas, with temperatures ranging between 10 to 15 degrees on Friday, which is the day of the winter solstice.

Also known as dong zhi, the winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.

Temperatures will rise slightly on Christmas Day on Monday, with the mercury expected to range between 12 and 18 degrees.

More from South China Morning Post:

• Hong Kong health authorities brace for flu season as temperatures set to drop on Saturday
• Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority ‘well prepared’ for surge in demand over winter, as officials voice concern over children with multiple infections
• Hong Kong Observatory issues first cold weather warning for winter, as mercury dips to 12 degrees Celsius
• Cold spell to chill Hong Kong in winter solstice, Christmas, as mercury expected to drop to 10 degrees on Friday

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