The Observatory came under fire after downgrading a Red Rainstorm Warning Signal to Amber before dawn, causing many students to become drenched on their way to class.
According to the weather watchdog, more than 50 millimeters of rainfall was recorded across the city this morning, while various districts in the New Territories experienced more than 100mm, with some areas receiving 300 to 400mm during the previous 24 hours.
Amid the overnight heavy rainfall, the Observatory replaced the Red Rainstorm Warning at 5.15am with an Amber warning, sparking outrage among parents over the torrential downpour during the morning commute.
The forecaster’s Facebook page was soon flooded with criticism, accusing the Observatory of basing decisions solely on the conditions of Hong Kong Island while ignoring the New Territories.
“This proves again that the Observatory has two standards. We only get the Red Rainstorm Warning Signal if the rainband moves over Hong Kong Island," one commenter wrote furiously.
Some also slammed the insensitivity of the watchdog, writing, "They downgraded to Amber before 5:30am, but how were students supposed to get to school in this heavy rain, thunder, lightning and even flooding in some areas?"
A parent living in Yuen Long highlighted the howling wind and heavy rain in the neighborhood this morning, noting “our shoes got soaked as soon as we stepped outside.”
Another parent likened the morning rain to conditions under a Black Rainstorm Warning, stating she could barely see the road while driving.
Many citizens expressed concerns over the commute for young students, who have to pack into buses while freezing with soaked bodies as they board.
Several also mocked the Observatory's frequent use of the phrase "once-in-500-years,” saying “I don’t know how every 500 years *seem to pass so*quickly.”
Others called for a more lenient threshold for issuing Red and Black Rainstorm warnings, noting the challenges of heading out in such weather.
