
Red rainstorm alert back again as deluge hits city
The observatory once again issued the red rainstorm warning at 12.40pm. Photo: RTHK
The red rainstorm warning was raised twice in three hours on Thursday amid widespread downpours across Hong Kong.
In issuing the red alert again at 12.40pm, the Observatory said further heavy rain could cause serious road flooding and traffic congestion and that several areas in the New Territories were particularly being battered by downpours.
"Heavy rain is affecting the northern part of the New Territories, especially in Pat Heung and Kam Tin areas," it said.
"More than 60 millimetres of rainfall have been recorded in the past one hour.
"Residents in the northern New Territories, who are likely to be affected, are advised to take necessary precautions to avoid possible flood damage. Heavy rain may bring about flash floods. People should stay away from watercourses. They should also pay attention to the flood sirens if they are nearby."
The forecaster issued the amber rainstorm warning at 8.35am, before upgrading it to red an hour later.
By 10.40am, the warning was replaced by the amber signal.
According to the observatory's forecast, the remnant of tropical storm Danas was moving southwest across eastern Guangdong and might skirt Dongguan and Huizhou.
"The active southwest monsoon to its south will generally affect the vicinity of the Pearl River estuary [on Thursday and Friday]," it said.
"There will be torrential rain and squally thunderstorms over the region.
"Under the combined effect of the torrential rain and the southwest monsoon, the weather will be relatively severe."
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South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Why have severe storms hit Hong Kong despite lower cyclone intensity?
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP's journalism by subscribing . New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Hong Kong experienced severe rainstorms because the monsoon provided rich moisture that amplified the residual impact of tropical cyclone Danas, despite its early landfall, the weather forecaster has said. The Observatory's explanation came after heavy downpours and thunderstorms across the city on Thursday, with six reported cases of flooding prompting the government to cancel all day school classes on Friday. Danas landed in Zhejiang in eastern China on Tuesday, with the wind speed at its centre significantly reduced. But the remnants of the tropical cyclone remained active, which brought adverse weather to Hong Kong, the forecaster explained. 'Besides Danas, there was also an active southwest monsoon, which was rich in humidity,' Shum Chi-tai, an acting senior scientific officer at the Observatory, told a radio show on Friday. 'In the presence of such atmospheric factors, despite Danas reducing to a low pressure area with lower wind speed at its centre, the accompanying rains and thunderstorms still brought a very significant impact.'


RTHK
3 days ago
- RTHK
HK to see occasional showers, thunderstorms until Sat
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South China Morning Post
3 days ago
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Hong Kong must be well prepared for more extreme weather
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