Newsletters
Hong Kong's weather observatory recorded a temperature of 36.9 degrees Celsius (98.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday, the highest ever measured in the city, as Typhoon Dolphin pushed warm air over the region, the meteorological service said.
The approaching storm has already triggered mass flight cancellations and evacuations along China's east coast ahead of its landfall and fueled intense heat in the region.
"The maximum temperature recorded at the observatory was 36.9°C, the highest ever recorded since 1884," when records began, the Hong Kong Observatory said in the afternoon.
The previous record was set at 36.6°C on Aug. 22, 2017, before Typhoon Hato hit the city.
Figures recorded at the observatory's headquarters serve as one of the key references for Hong Kong, according to the weather service, although temperatures can vary significantly in the densely built Chinese finance hub.
Temperatures elsewhere in the city topped 39°C. The station in Sheung Shui, in the city's north, recorded 39.8°C, the highest temperature logged in Hong Kong since automatic weather stations were introduced in the 1980s, the Observatory said.
"With Tropical Cyclone Dolphin moving towards the vicinity of Zhejiang and moving inland, its outer subsiding air will persistently bring extremely hot weather to the territory today and Tuesday," the forecaster said.
The Observatory issued a "Very Hot Weather Warning" on Sunday, advising citizens to drink water and avoid vigorous outdoor physical activities. Typhoon Dolphin is approaching the Chinese mainland about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) northeast of Hong Kong.
It has triggered more than 1,000 flight cancellations, evacuations and a top-level alert from authorities as it approaches China's densely populated east coast.
It is expected to make landfall late Sunday or early Monday in Zhejiang or its neighboring province of Fujian. Scientists say human-driven climate change is making extreme heat events more frequent and more intense worldwide.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
