HK braces for New Year chill with 10-degree drop expected

Hong Kong will embrace a chilly New Year, with a significant mercury drop of 10 degrees expected as a cold front moves across the coastal areas, according to the Observatory.

The regional weather forecast shows that temperatures are expected to remain around 19 degrees at midnight during the countdown, and will range between 16 and 22 degrees on New Year’s Day. 

However, winds will strengthen from the north and temperatures will fall appreciably under the influence of the associated winter monsoon.

A nine-day weather forecast indicates that the minimum temperatures on Friday (Jan 2) and Saturday are expected to be around 12 degrees, which is a drop of 10 degrees overnight compared to the highest temperature on New Year’s Day.

Meanwhile, the forecaster noted that some parts of the New Territories will experience severe cold during the period.

Current forecasts indicate that the first Cold Weather Warning of the winter may be issued, which would mark the first time since 1999 that no such warning was issued during November and December.