Press Release

Tornado observed at the Hong Kong International Airport on 6 September 2004 (6 September 2004)

At around 5:55 p.m. today (6 September 2004), the aviation weather observer of the Hong Kong Observatory sighted a tornado about 1.5 to 2 kilometres to the south of the Air Traffic Control Tower (see attached photo). The tornado lasted for a few minutes. Gusts reaching 17 metres per second (around 62 kilometres per hour) were recorded by the Observatory's anemometer at the Airport. Thunderstorms were affecting the region at the time. The tornado was also observed by the Observatory's Terminal Doppler Weather Radar.

A tornado is a fast rotating column of air extending from thunder clouds to the ground. Locally, occurrences of tornado are mostly associated with unstable weather during the rain season from May to September.

Hong Kong International Airport on 6 September 2004