The Weather of October 2026 - The warmest October
3 November 2026
Extract of Meteorological Observations in Hong Kong for October 2026
Mainly due to a weaker-than-normal northeast monsoon and a stronger-than-normal upper-air anticyclone over southern China, and set against the backdrop of climate warming and a very strong El Niño event that may persist into early next year, October 2026 was unseasonably warm in Hong Kong. The monthly mean maximum temperature of 30.5 degrees, monthly mean temperature of 27.6 degrees and monthly mean minimum temperature of 25.8 degrees were 2.4 degrees, 1.9 degrees and 1.9 degrees above their respective normals and all were the highest ever on record for October. The month was also drier than usual with a total rainfall of 81.0 millimetres, about 67 percent of the normal of 120.3 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall this year up to October was 2532.9 millimetres, about 7 percent above the normal of 2363.1 millimetres for the same period.
Winds were weak over the coast of Guangdong on the first day of the month. Locally, it was mainly fine and very hot apart from isolated showers. Under weak winds and with plenty of sunshine, the temperature at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 33.6 degrees that afternoon, the highest of the month. The weather conditions, however, changed markedly over the next two days. Affected by upper-air disturbances, local weather turned mainly cloudy with occasional showers and thunderstorms on 2 – 3 October. More than 50 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over many places, and rainfall even exceeded 100 millimetres over parts of Kowloon, Sha Tin and Sai Kung districts on these two days. While it remained mainly cloudy with showers on 4 October, there were sunny periods during the day. A cold front moved across the coastal areas that night, bringing heavy showers and squally thunderstorms to the territory. More than 30 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over Yuen Long District, Tsuen Wan District, Central and Western District and Chek Lap Kok. Under the influence of the dry northeast monsoon, local weather turned generally fine and dry on 5 – 9 October, except for cloudier conditions on 6 October and one or two rain patches on 8 October. It was also slightly cooler on the mornings of 6 – 7 October with the temperature at the Observatory falling to a minimum of 23.3 degrees on 6 October, the lowest of the month and the lowest so far this autumn.
An anticyclone aloft established over southern China and the weather of Hong Kong remained generally fine on 10 – 13 October. Local weather was mainly fine with relatively low visibility in some areas on the morning of 14 October. As a fresh to strong easterly airstream started to affect the territory during the day, it became cloudy with one or two rain patches. The easterly airstream continued to affect the coast of Guangdong in the next four days and moderated gradually. The weather of Hong Kong was mainly fine apart from cloudier conditions on 17 October and one or two rain patches on 17 – 18 October. Under the dominance of an anticyclone aloft over southern China, local weather remained generally fine on 19 – 21 October. Under clear skies and weak winds, temperatures over the territory generally rose to around 33 degrees on the afternoon of 21 October and parts of the territory even experienced extremely hot weather.
A replenishment of the northeast monsoon arrived overnight on 21 – 22 October and locally, there were one or two showers at first on 22 October. Then under the influence of a dry northeast monsoon, the local weather became generally fine and dry during the day on 23 – 26 October. Due to large diurnal variation under abundant sunshine and rather dry conditions, the local weather was hot over parts of the territory on 23 October. The maximum temperature recorded at the Observatory was 32.3 degrees that afternoon, the hottest Frost solar term ever on record. Under the influence of a band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong on 27 October, there were a few rain patches in the morning and at night, but there were still sunny periods during the day. A fresh to strong northeast monsoon reached the coast of Guangdong on the morning of 28 October. The local weather was mainly cloudy and windier on 28 October with one or two rain patches in the morning. While the day started off with one or two light rain patches on 29 October, with the gradual moderation of the monsoon and the strengthening of an anticyclone aloft, it became fine and dry during the day. The anticyclone aloft continued to bring fine weather to the territory on 30 – 31 October.
Eight tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in October 2026.
Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Tables 1.1 to 1.6. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for October are tabulated in Table 2.
Please refer to the following link for the latest monthly forecast: Monthly Forecast
Winds were weak over the coast of Guangdong on the first day of the month. Locally, it was mainly fine and very hot apart from isolated showers. Under weak winds and with plenty of sunshine, the temperature at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 33.6 degrees that afternoon, the highest of the month. The weather conditions, however, changed markedly over the next two days. Affected by upper-air disturbances, local weather turned mainly cloudy with occasional showers and thunderstorms on 2 – 3 October. More than 50 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over many places, and rainfall even exceeded 100 millimetres over parts of Kowloon, Sha Tin and Sai Kung districts on these two days. While it remained mainly cloudy with showers on 4 October, there were sunny periods during the day. A cold front moved across the coastal areas that night, bringing heavy showers and squally thunderstorms to the territory. More than 30 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over Yuen Long District, Tsuen Wan District, Central and Western District and Chek Lap Kok. Under the influence of the dry northeast monsoon, local weather turned generally fine and dry on 5 – 9 October, except for cloudier conditions on 6 October and one or two rain patches on 8 October. It was also slightly cooler on the mornings of 6 – 7 October with the temperature at the Observatory falling to a minimum of 23.3 degrees on 6 October, the lowest of the month and the lowest so far this autumn.
An anticyclone aloft established over southern China and the weather of Hong Kong remained generally fine on 10 – 13 October. Local weather was mainly fine with relatively low visibility in some areas on the morning of 14 October. As a fresh to strong easterly airstream started to affect the territory during the day, it became cloudy with one or two rain patches. The easterly airstream continued to affect the coast of Guangdong in the next four days and moderated gradually. The weather of Hong Kong was mainly fine apart from cloudier conditions on 17 October and one or two rain patches on 17 – 18 October. Under the dominance of an anticyclone aloft over southern China, local weather remained generally fine on 19 – 21 October. Under clear skies and weak winds, temperatures over the territory generally rose to around 33 degrees on the afternoon of 21 October and parts of the territory even experienced extremely hot weather.
A replenishment of the northeast monsoon arrived overnight on 21 – 22 October and locally, there were one or two showers at first on 22 October. Then under the influence of a dry northeast monsoon, the local weather became generally fine and dry during the day on 23 – 26 October. Due to large diurnal variation under abundant sunshine and rather dry conditions, the local weather was hot over parts of the territory on 23 October. The maximum temperature recorded at the Observatory was 32.3 degrees that afternoon, the hottest Frost solar term ever on record. Under the influence of a band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong on 27 October, there were a few rain patches in the morning and at night, but there were still sunny periods during the day. A fresh to strong northeast monsoon reached the coast of Guangdong on the morning of 28 October. The local weather was mainly cloudy and windier on 28 October with one or two rain patches in the morning. While the day started off with one or two light rain patches on 29 October, with the gradual moderation of the monsoon and the strengthening of an anticyclone aloft, it became fine and dry during the day. The anticyclone aloft continued to bring fine weather to the territory on 30 – 31 October.
Eight tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in October 2026.
Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Tables 1.1 to 1.6. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for October are tabulated in Table 2.
Please refer to the following link for the latest monthly forecast: Monthly Forecast
Warnings and Signals issued in October 2026
| Beginning Time | Ending Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Day/Month | HKT | Day/Month | HKT |
| 23 / 10 | 0945 | 23 / 10 | 1245 |
| 28 / 10 | 0400 | 28 / 10 | 1145 |
| Colour | Beginning Time | Ending Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day/Month | HKT | Day/Month | HKT | |
| Amber | 2 / 10 | 1740 | 2 / 10 | 1930 |
| Amber | 3 / 10 | 0400 | 3 / 10 | 0910 |
| Amber | 4 / 10 | 2020 | 4 / 10 | 2230 |
| Beginning Time | Ending Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Day/Month | HKT | Day/Month | HKT |
| 1 / 10 | 2130 | 1 / 10 | 2330 |
| 2 / 10 | 0610 | 2 / 10 | 0830 |
| 2 / 10 | 1150 | 2 / 10 | 1430 |
| 2 / 10 | 1555 | 3 / 10 | 0950 |
| 4 / 10 | 1303 | 4 / 10 | 1515 |
| 4 / 10 | 2000 | 4 / 10 | 2250 |
| Colour | Beginning Time | Ending Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day/Month | HKT | Day/Month | HKT | |
| Yellow | 1 / 10 | 0600 | 1 / 10 | 1830 |
| Red | 7 / 10 | 0745 | 7 / 10 | 2315 |
| Yellow | 10 / 10 | 0600 | 10 / 10 | 1930 |
| Yellow | 11 / 10 | 0600 | 11 / 10 | 1915 |
| Yellow | 17 / 10 | 0945 | 17 / 10 | 1730 |
| Yellow | 18 / 10 | 0815 | 18 / 10 | 1945 |
| Yellow | 19 / 10 | 0600 | 19 / 10 | 1800 |
| Red | 23 / 10 | 0600 | 24 / 10 | 2350 |
| Yellow | 25 / 10 | 0600 | 25 / 10 | 2330 |
| Beginning Time | Ending Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Day/Month | HKT | Day/Month | HKT |
| 28 / 9 | 1115 | 1 / 10 | 1830 |
| 21 / 10 | 0645 | 21 / 10 | 1830 |
| Beginning Time | Ending Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Day/Month | HKT | Day/Month | HKT |
| 2 / 10 | 1700 | 2 / 10 | 1900 |
| Meteorological Element | Figure of the Month | Departure from Normal* |
|---|---|---|
| Mean Daily Maximum Air Temperature | 30.5 degrees C | 2.4 degrees above normal |
| Mean Air Temperature | 27.6 degrees C | 1.9 degrees above normal |
| Mean Daily Minimum Air Temperature | 25.8 degrees C | 1.9 degrees above normal |
| Mean Dew Point Temperature | 21.6 degrees C | 1.4 degrees above normal |
| Mean Relative Humidity | 70 % | 3 % below normal |
| Mean Cloud Amount | 54 % | 4 % below normal |
| Total Rainfall | 81.0 mm | 39.3 mm below normal |
| Number of hours of Reduced VisibilityΔ | 7 hours | 89.2 hours below normal§ |
| Total Bright Sunshine Duration | 252.8 hours | 55.0 hours above normal |
| Mean Daily Global Solar Radiation | 17.99 Megajoule / square metre | 3.47 Megajoule above normal |
| Total Evaporation | 135.8 mm | 13.2 mm above 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 2025 |
|
| 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 |
Extract of Meteorological Observations in Hong Kong for October 2026