July 2020 Hottest Month in History

July 2020 - Hong Kong's Hottest Month Ever

Editorial Board

July 2020 - Hong Kong's Hottest Month Ever

With a stronger than usual subtropical ridge persisting over southern China for most of the month, July 2020 became the hottest month in Hong Kong since records began in 1884.

The monthly mean maximum temperature of 33.3 degrees C, monthly mean temperature of 30.2 degrees C and monthly mean minimum temperature of 28.3 degrees C were the highest of these monthly mean values on record. With abundant sunshine and light winds, the maximum temperature at the Observatory soared to 35.3 degrees C on 23 July, the highest of the month. The month also set a record for total of hot nights – with 21 in all; and a series of 11 consecutive hot nights that started from 5 July set a new record for July. There were 20 very hot days in the month, the most very hot days in a month on record. The unrelenting heat also necessitated the Very Hot Weather Warning remaining in force for 467 hours from 11 to 30 July – a new record for the longest duration of this warning since it was introduced.