Hongkongers woke up to a chilly Monday morning as the mercury hovered at 12 to 15 degrees Celsius (53.6 to 59 Fahrenheit), with the city’s forecaster issuing a cold weather warning and saying temperatures would drop even lower overnight.
Authorities opened temporary shelters across the city for those in need, urging elderly residents and anyone with chronic illnesses to stay warm, as the cold spell could trigger or exacerbate underlying diseases.
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Residents were also encouraged to check in on those living alone and considered to be at risk to see if they needed any help.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued the warning at 6am, saying temperatures in urban areas could fall overnight from 10 degrees to a low of 7 degrees, as well as reaching single-digit readings in the New Territories.
“An intense winter monsoon is bringing appreciably cooler weather to the coastal areas of Guangdong,” the forecaster said, adding that Tuesday would be “very cold”.
Hong Kong set for very cold start to week; mercury to fall to 7 degrees Celsius
“It will be windy with a few rain patches. The minimum temperature will fall to around 7 degrees in the urban areas, and a couple of degrees lower in the New Territories.”
The temperature on Tuesday is expected to be among the lowest this winter so far. The minimum temperature in December recorded by the forecaster stood at 8.1 degrees Celsius.
The weather on Monday prompted authorities to warn vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions, to stay out of the cold.
“Elderly people have less insulating fat beneath their skin to keep them warm and their body temperature control mechanism may be weaker,” a Center for Health Protection spokesman said.
“Their bodies may not be able to appropriately respond to the cold weather.”
The centre noted that some elderly people suffered from decreased mobility, which could impair their ability to generate and conserve body heat.
Chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes could affect the health of elderly residents, lowering their metabolic rate and resulting in their bodies generating less heat, it added.
The cold weather could also aggravate the effects of such diseases among younger patients, the centre said.
Hong Kong braces for cooler weather at 8 degrees Celsius early next week
The government urged the public to care for the elderly during the cold spell, particularly those who lived alone.
Temporary shelters across the city will remain open until the cold weather warning is dropped.
This week’s cooler weather is expected to continue until Thursday, after which the mercury would start climbing again.
According to the forecaster, temperatures across the city on Wednesday would range from 8 to 12 degrees, varying between 11 and 16 degrees on Thursday and reaching 13 to 18 degrees a day later.
Temperatures are also expected to rise towards the end of week, going from a minimum of 13 degrees on Friday to 18 degrees on Monday and Tuesday next week.
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