HK records hottest day before typhoon
Hong Kong recorded its hottest day before Typhoon Hato battered the city on Wednesday morning.
The Hong Kong Observatory said the temperature went as high as 36.6 degrees Celsius at its Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
It was the highest temperature since weather records were first compiled in 1884, surpassing the previous record of 36.3 degrees on Aug. 8, 2015, the Hong Kong Economic Journal reported.
Temperatures in Tseung Kwan O, Kowloon City, Wong Tai Sin, Sham Shui Po, and Sha Tin all hit between 37.9 and 38.1 degrees while that in the Hong Kong Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai reached as high as 39 degrees.
The extraordinarily high temperatures only subsided after 3 p.m., when it began to rain.
Air pollution was also worsened by a continental airstream resulting from the approaching storm, with Air Quality Health Index readings in many districts suggesting “serious” or “very high” health risk.
Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing revealed in a Facebook post that the scorching heat on Tuesday saw power consumption records broken.
Meanwhile, data from the Hospital Authority showed five people were stricken by heatstroke in the 24 hours until 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The rain and wind brought by Typhoon Hato helped the city cool down.
The No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal was issued at 5:20 a.m. on Wednesday, and was raised Increasing Gale or Storm Signal No. 9 at 8:10 a.m., the Observatory said.
At 9:10 a.m., Hurricane Signal No. 10 was raised, with Hato expected to bring winds of up to 118 kilometers or more per hour.
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