Hong Kong has issued a cold weather warning as temperatures plummet, prompting authorities to advise residents to take precautions against the cold. Photo: Nora TamThe Hong Kong Observatory has issued a cold weather warning. It is urging elderly residents and those with chronic diseases to take “appropriate measures” for their protection.
The alert was posted at 6am on Friday, when the city’s temperatures ranged between 12 and 15 degrees Celsius (53.6 and 59 Fahrenheit) and dropped to as low as 6.5 degrees at Hong Kong’s highest peak, Tai Mo Shan.
“The northeast monsoon will continue to affect Guangdong [on Friday] and [Saturday]. The weather will be cold over the region,” the forecaster said. “A broad band of clouds will bring a few rain patches to the coastal areas.”
The weather will be brighter on Saturday, with sunny periods in the afternoon and the mercury gradually increasing to above 20 degrees from the next day onwards.
The Centre for Health Protection reminded the public, particularly elderly residents and people with chronic illnesses, to adopt appropriate measures to protect themselves from the cold.
“Cold weather can easily trigger or exacerbate diseases, especially among the elderly and people suffering from heart disease, respiratory or other chronic illnesses,” it added.
The Labour Department also called on employers to take precautions when the warning was in force, such as arranging for workers to switch between outdoor and indoor or sheltered work sites as much as possible.