Frost warning issued as HK records rare ground frost in New Territories

The Hong Kong Observatory issued a frost warning on Wednesday afternoon, alerting residents to possible ground frost in inland New Territories areas early Thursday morning, with photos from locals confirming frost formation amid record-low humidity.

Citizens in Tai Po, Fanling, and surrounding villages captured images of frost on grass and surfaces, which were shared by the Observatory on social media.

The city continues under the influence of dry winter monsoon winds, causing radiation cooling to intensify, especially with weaker winds overnight, leading to noticeably lower temperatures in parts of the New Territories on Friday morning.

By Thursday afternoon, relative humidity at the Observatory headquarters dropped to 17 percent, setting a new January record low since automatic weather stations began operations in 1984. 

As the monsoon eases slightly over the weekend, temperatures will rise a little, though mornings will remain cool, prompting reminders for the public to dress warmly.

The weather watchdog also stated that, according to preliminary assessments by the World Meteorological Organization, 2025 is heading to become the second or third warmest year globally since records began.

Sea-ice extent in both the Arctic and Antarctic remained significantly below average levels throughout the year, while extreme weather events impacted numerous regions worldwide.