The Weather of August 2024 - An exceptionally hot August
There were sunny periods and a few showers in Hong Kong on the first two days of the month. Dominated by an anticyclone aloft, it was generally fine and persistently very hot on 3 – 9 August and the temperatures at the Observatory sored to a maximum of 35.4 degrees on the afternoon of 5 August, the highest of the month. High temperatures also triggered thundery showers over the territory on the afternoons of 5 – 7 August. The showers were particularly heavy over Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing Districts on 6 August and more than 70 millimetres of rainfall were recorded.
Under the influence of a southwesterly airstream, the weather of Hong Kong was a mixture of sunny periods, showers and thunderstorms on 10 – 13 August. The showers were particularly heavy on 12 August under the influence of upper-air disturbances. More than 30 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over many places.
Under the influence of a broad trough of low pressure lingering over the coast of southern China and the northern part of the South China Sea, the weather of Hong Kong was unsettled with occasional showers and squally thunderstorms on 14 – 21 August. The showers were particularly heavy on 15, 17-19 August. More than 100 millimetres of rainfall were generally recorded over the territory and rainfall even exceeded 200 millimetres over parts of the urban areas, Tai Po and Sha Tin Districts on these four days. Under the rain, the temperatures at the Observatory dropped to a minimum of 25.2 degrees on 17 August, the lowest of the month.
With the strengthening of the anticyclone aloft, the showers eased off gradually with sunny intervals during the day on 22 – 23 August. Under light wind conditions, apart from isolated showers, it was mainly fine and very hot on 24 – 27 August. While the weather remained generally fine and very hot during the day on 28 August, showers and squally thunderstorms associated with an upper-air disturbance affected Hong Kong later in the afternoon. With the departure of the upper-air disturbance, the showers eased off with sunny periods and very hot weather during the day on 29 – 30 August. Affected by a broad trough of low pressure, it was mainly cloudy with a few showers and isolated squally thunderstorms on the last day of the month.
Six tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in August 2024.
Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarized in Tables 1.1 to 1.3. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for August are tabulated in Table 2.
Warnings and Signals issued in August 2024
Colour | Beginning Time | Ending Time | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Day/Month | HKT | Day/Month | HKT | |
Amber | 6 / 8 | 1345 | 6 / 8 | 1445 |
Amber | 12 / 8 | 0755 | 12 / 8 | 1000 |
Amber | 15 / 8 | 1140 | 15 / 8 | 1240 |
Amber | 17 / 8 | 0535 | 17 / 8 | 1055 |
Amber | 18 / 8 | 0605 | 18 / 8 | 0900 |
Amber | 19 / 8 | 1335 | 19 / 8 | 1500 |
Amber | 20 / 8 | 0545 | 20 / 8 | 0645 |
Amber | 28 / 8 | 1650 | 28 / 8 | 1900 |
Beginning Time | Ending Time | ||
---|---|---|---|
Day/Month | HKT | Day/Month | HKT |
1 / 8 | 0415 | 1 / 8 | 0645 |
2 / 8 | 1501 | 2 / 8 | 1615 |
5 / 8 | 1340 | 5 / 8 | 1830 |
6 / 8 | 1155 | 6 / 8 | 1630 |
7 / 8 | 1246 | 7 / 8 | 1600 |
7 / 8 | 1624 | 7 / 8 | 1745 |
10 / 8 | 1345 | 10 / 8 | 1545 |
11 / 8 | 1110 | 11 / 8 | 1300 |
12 / 8 | 0223 | 12 / 8 | 0520 |
12 / 8 | 0620 | 12 / 8 | 1045 |
13 / 8 | 0040 | 13 / 8 | 0600 |
13 / 8 | 1130 | 13 / 8 | 1730 |
14 / 8 | 0455 | 14 / 8 | 0700 |
14 / 8 | 0820 | 14 / 8 | 1230 |
15 / 8 | 0950 | 15 / 8 | 1645 |
16 / 8 | 1010 | 16 / 8 | 1630 |
17 / 8 | 0135 | 17 / 8 | 0300 |
17 / 8 | 0445 | 17 / 8 | 1100 |
17 / 8 | 2240 | 18 / 8 | 0145 |
18 / 8 | 0440 | 18 / 8 | 1130 |
18 / 8 | 1725 | 18 / 8 | 2300 |
19 / 8 | 0430 | 19 / 8 | 1130 |
19 / 8 | 1225 | 19 / 8 | 1630 |
20 / 8 | 0455 | 20 / 8 | 1030 |
20 / 8 | 1450 | 20 / 8 | 1800 |
21 / 8 | 0306 | 21 / 8 | 1200 |
22 / 8 | 1340 | 22 / 8 | 1445 |
25 / 8 | 1405 | 25 / 8 | 1510 |
26 / 8 | 1302 | 26 / 8 | 1430 |
28 / 8 | 1445 | 28 / 8 | 2000 |
29 / 8 | 1448 | 29 / 8 | 1700 |
29 / 8 | 1909 | 29 / 8 | 2130 |
30 / 8 | 1245 | 30 / 8 | 1530 |
30 / 8 | 2340 | 31 / 8 | 0700 |
31 / 8 | 0840 | 31 / 8 | 1700 |
Beginning Time | Ending Time | ||
---|---|---|---|
Day/Month | HKT | Day/Month | HKT |
1 / 8 | 1320 | 6 / 8 | 1350 |
7 / 8 | 0645 | 11 / 8 | 1800 |
13 / 8 | 1355 | 13 / 8 | 1620 |
24 / 8 | 1045 | 28 / 8 | 1730 |
29 / 8 | 1115 | 30 / 8 | 1815 |
Meteorological Element | Figure of the Month | Departure from Normal* |
---|---|---|
Mean Daily Maximum Air Temperature | 32.3 degrees C | 1.0 degree above normal |
Mean Air Temperature | 29.6 degrees C | 0.9 degrees above normal |
Mean Daily Minimum Air Temperature | 27.7 degrees C | 1.0 degree above normal |
Mean Dew Point Temperature | 25.9 degrees C | 0.8 degrees above normal |
Mean Relative Humidity | 81 % | normal |
Mean Cloud Amount | 74 % | 4 % above normal |
Total Rainfall | 261.5 mm | 191.7 mm below normal |
Number of hours of Reduced VisibilityΔ | 0 hour | 38.0 hours below normal§ |
Total Bright Sunshine Duration | 197.3 hours | 15.2 hours above normal |
Mean Daily Global Solar Radiation | 17.51 Megajoule / square metre | 1.78 Megajoule above normal |
Total Evaporation | 123.6 mm | 6.1 mm below normal |
Remarks : | All measurements were made at the Hong Kong Observatory except sunshine, solar radiation and evaporation which were recorded at King's Park Meteorological Station and visibility which was observed at the Hong Kong International Airport. |
Δ |
The visibility readings at the Hong Kong International Airport are based on hourly observations by professional meteorological observers in 2004 and before, and average readings over the 10-minute period before the clock hour of the visibility meter near the middle of the south runway from 2005 onwards. The change of the data source in 2005 is an improvement of the visibility assessment using instrumented observations following the international trend. |
* Departure from 1991 - 2020 climatological normal, except for number of hours of reduced visibility |
|
§ Departure from mean value between 1997 and 2023 |


Remarks : | Extremely high: above 95th percentile Above normal: between 75th and 95th percentile Normal: between 25th and 75th percentile Below normal: between 5th and 25th percentile Extremely low: below 5th percentile Percentile and 5-day running average values are computed based on the data from 1991 to 2020 |