HK braces a cold start to 2026 with overnight 10-degree drop

As the city celebrates the new year, a sharp 10-degree Celsius dip in the mercury is expected tonight, with a cold front sweeping in to mark 2026's first night.

Affected by a winter monsoon, the weather watchdog anticipates windy and cold weather over the next few days.

While urban areas enjoyed a New Year's Day high of 22 degrees, a southward-moving cold front is expected to lower temperatures overnight by 10 degrees.

The weather forecast indicates that temperatures will start to fall this afternoon, with urban areas dropping to around 16 degrees. Some parts of the New Territories may experience readings 2 to 3 degrees lower.

A large temperature difference between day and night is expected, with temperature ranging from 12 to 18 degrees on Friday (Jan 2) and Saturday (Jan 3).

Meanwhile, citizens will also experience strong winds in the coming days,  which may reach Force 7 on higher ground.

According to the Observatory’s nine-day forecast, the cold weather is set to persist into next week, with temperatures on Tuesday (Jan 6) and Thursday (Jan 8) ranging between 13 to 19 degrees.

With the monsoon moderating slightly early next week, a slight increase in temperatures to between 14 to 20 degrees is anticipated on next Friday (Jan 9), along with a dry weather from next Wednesday (Jan 7).