Climatological Information Services In Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Observatory provides climatological information services to meet the needs of shipping, aviation, engineering, other industries, judicial proceedings, recreational activities and the general public as well as to support its weather forecasting and tropical cyclone warning operations.

The climatological information provided includes the observational data collected at the surface and in the upper air. Daily, monthly and annual summaries of weather observations are published regularly. Technical publications on the climatology of selected meteorological parameters are also available. Popular and commonly used climatological data are available from the Climatological Information Services Webpage in the Hong Kong Observatory's website. Enquiries on simple climatological matters can be made through the telephone during office hours. For enquiries of an official document or special analyses of data, a written request is required and charges are made on a cost recovery basis.

The Hong Kong Observatory also provides professional and consultancy services for a wide range of engineering projects conducted by private enterprises and other departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Governemnt. Climatological researches on topics of public interest such as urban climate and relationship between weather and health are conducted. Research results are published in international journals and departmental technical notes of the Hong Kong Observatory.

Monthly Weather Summary

General climatological information for Hong Kong as well as the actual daily local weather conditions are published monthly in the Monthly Weather Summary. This Summary contains tables on the monthly means and extreme values of meteorological parameters in Hong Kong. Each issue also includes a description of the month's weather together with a set of simplified daily weather maps. Provisional reports on tropical cyclones formed over the western North Pacific and South China Sea are also included. The Monthly Extract of Meteorological Observations for Hong Kong included in the publication is particularly useful for those who require information on the actual daily weather conditions.

Summary of Meteorological and Tidal Observations in Hong Kong

Detailed climatological information is contained in annual volumes of the "Summary of Meteorological and Tidal Observations in Hong Kong". The Summary contains condensed information of surface and upper-air data recorded in Hong Kong. Starting 2007, summaries of observed sea levels at various tide gauge stations operated by the Hong Kong Observatory and the number of lightning strokes detected over the Hong Kong territory by the Lightning Location Network are also included.

Tropical Cyclones

The Hong Kong Observatory publishes an annual series of "Tropical Cyclones" providing description of the life history of each and every tropical cyclone that formed over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea. Information contained in this publication includes the sequence of Tropical Cyclone Warning Signals displayed and data on maximum winds, rainfall and tide recorded at various stations in Hong Kong while Hong Kong was affected by the tropical cyclones. Statistics on tropical cyclones that have affected Hong Kong over the past years are also provided.

Useful climatological information for Hong Kong is available at the Climatological Information Services Webpage in the Hong Kong Observatory's website (wservice/tsheet/cis/climat.htm). Through this user-friendly interface, people can easily access a range of climatological information. The webpage also provides a facility for online request for weather data.

Apart from providing climatological data (including data summaries and publications) for browsing or downloading, this webpage also provides other useful information, such as meteorological normals, extremes and statistics, and regional climate of Hong Kong.

Climatological information of over 1,000 cities in more than 110 countries/territories is also available at the World Weather Information Services website (https://worldweather.wmo.int/) developed and operated by the Hong Kong Observatory on behalf of the World Meteorological Organization. This web site contains data originated from the respective official meteorological authorities, constituting reliable and convenient climatological information for the travellers.

General Enquiries

The Hong Kong Observatory answers telephone calls on enquiries for simple climatological information during office hours. Enquirers can also submit their requests in written form or visit the Hong Kong Observatory Resource Centre for searching or purchasing the required information.

Official Documents

The Hong Kong Observatory provides official documents in response to written enquiries on climatological information at cost according to the amount of work involved. Certified copies of climatological records kept at the Hong Kong Observatory shall be admitted in evidence in criminal or civil proceedings before any court on its production without further proof. Requests for such data and other analysis services can be made by using the "Climatological Data Request Form" downloadable from the Climatological Information Services Webpage. For automatic weather station data, an "AWS Data Online Request Form" is also available for online submission.

Special Climatological Information

The Hong Kong Observatory provides special climatological analysis making use of the existing data and computer resources at the Hong Kong Observatory at cost for not readily available climatological information.

In the past few decades, there has been a growing interest in the application of climatological data for the development of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Observatory has often been called upon to provide meteorological information and advice for engineering works. Special investigations are sometimes organised and carried out by the Hong Kong Observatory itself or in co-operation with other institutions as necessary to meet the requirements of consulting engineers.

The Hong Kong Observatory provides advice to other departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on meteorological aspects of major engineering development projects. The department maintains close liaison with the consultants appointed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and supplies the required data for analysis. The Hong Kong Observatory will generally provide comments on prevailing and extreme wind conditions and hydrometeorology of the study areas.

The Hong Kong Observatory also provides advice to private enterprises that have a requirement for meteorological information for their engineering projects. A charge will be levied depending on the scope of the services required.

Over the years, the Hong Kong Observatory has carried out a range of climatological studies. Joint research projects with tertiary institutions have also been conducted to enhance research capability and broaden the scope of scientific investigation. Research topics include urban and regional climate, climate trends, extreme weather and return period analysis, weather and health, etc. Research results are presented in international conferences and published in international journals and departmental technical notes.