Heavy rain and squally thunderstorms batter Hong Kong as Tropical Depression Maysak weakens inland

Hong Kong residents are urged to stay highly vigilant as an active southerly airstream and upper-air disturbances bring severe weather to the territory, prompting the Hong Kong Observatory to issue multiple special weather alerts warning of sudden heavy downpours, squally thunderstorms, and intense gusts. 

The unstable weather system has already triggered active rainbands across the region. 

Early in the morning, a heavy band of thunderstorms began impacting the eastern parts of Hong Kong. 

This was quickly followed by a warning that another intense cell of rain and thunderstorms, tracking from south of the Pearl River Estuary, would sweep across the city to bring sudden heavy rain and strong gusts. 

The widespread instability is linked to a vigorous southerly airstream currently sweeping across the Guangdong coast. 

This convective activity persists even as Tropical Depression Maysak, which was located just west of Guilin early in the morning, tracks further inland and gradually dissipates. 

Under these conditions, the local forecast for today remains mostly cloudy with intermittent heavy showers, severe thunderstorms, and gusty winds, though some brief bright periods are expected in the afternoon with temperatures peaking around 31 degrees Celsius. 

Looking ahead, the city is in for a very wet and unstable couple of days. 

The Observatory warns that the active southerly winds and a broad trough of low pressure will continue to trigger heavy downpours and squally thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday, potentially disrupting morning commutes. 

However, a major weather shift is expected by the end of the week. 

As Tropical Cyclone Bavi, currently active over the Northwest Pacific, moves toward the seas east of Taiwan, its outer subsiding air will reach the South China coast, bringing an end to the rain and introducing a period of fine, dry, and extremely hot weather to the region.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓