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The Hong Kong Observatory enhanced its Digital Weather Forecast webpage today(9 March) by extending the regional weather forecast period from one day to three days. Time charts have also been added to show how the weather is expected to change in the next three days in the region selected by the user. This will help the public to better plan their weather-sensitive activities and prepare for the changes in advance.
Another new feature of the webpage is that users can select time charts for any region, either through a map or by selecting place names, such as the name of a country park, hill, beach or tourist attraction. This gives users an at-a-glance knowledge of the weather forecast at their chosen location.
Mr Chow Kwok-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Hiking Association, China which has a number of travelling and hiking teams as members, said, "We most welcome this new service of the Observatory. Hikers can conveniently access weather information in the countryside three days ahead. This is very useful for us to plan hiking and climbing routes, wear suitable clothing and choose the necessary equipment. More importantly, this information can reduce the risks brought by weather changes."
The Digital Weather Forecast webpage was developed using the Observatory's new generation of numerical weather prediction model. The webpage provides hourly or three-hourly weather forecasts for the next three days at a resolution of 10 kilometres in both Hong Kong and the neighbouring Pearl River Estuary region. In addition to the existing temperature and wind forecasts, the webpage includes a forecast of relative humidity. Furthermore, the update frequency has been increased from once to twice a day, so that the public can better appreciate the latest changes in weather conditions. The webpage can be accessed at www.hko.gov.hk/dfs/main/dfs_time_e.html.
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