Weather in Hong Kong
Check out the above photo, which I took back in June 2026, just as the sun went behind the clouds on a very hot and humid mid-afternoon, hence the stunning blue sky. Now, just like Singapore, the sky is not always like this, nor is it always this hot and sticky.
After spending the last 30+ years visiting and even living in Hong Kong, my thoughts on the climate are that it's "interesting", ranging from hotter than Singapore in the summer to as cold as the UK in the winter, plus everything in between.
Summer Heat and Humiditytop
A good example of this was my visit back in August 2023, which was hot, very, very hot, with heavy rain at times.
Yes, I said very, very hot; check out this photo, which I took around 11am back in August while visiting Repulse Bay Beach on Hong Kong Island.
No, you are not seeing things; that does say 38°C, and that was at around 11 am, so it's not even close to the maximum; I would have expected it to hit 40°C at least.
According to my smartwatch, it felt like 47°C. 🌡️
Not that that is a real issue for me, as back home, we get hotter than that during the summer, and in my case, I do not feel it. ☀️
One really helpful change I noticed since I lived there is in the MTR; they now show weather warnings on some of the platform screens, and not just the typhoon signals, but also heat and rainstorms.
As for me, I spent the whole day walking around and ended up doing the coastal walk to Deep Water Bay; a very good day was had.
When planning your visit to Hong Kong, check out the Hong Kong Observatory, which covers the climate in detail, complete with yearly averages, etc. And yes, they even have an app for Android and iPhone which gives you alerts, warnings and other advice.
One thing to understand is that, just like Singapore, everywhere has air conditioning, and that includes all the various types of public transport I have ever used.
And yes, even the iconic Star Ferry has a part of the upper deck air-conditioned.
Typhoons and Warning Signalstop
But what about Typhoons (aka Hurricanes)? ⛈️
Yes, Hong Kong does experience these things, with the peak season being from July to September.
Over the years, I have experienced many—both near misses and direct hits, and other than an interesting experience on a boat, which was 100% my fault for not listening to the warnings, they have not caused me any real problems.
Should you be worried about being in Hong Kong when a typhoon hits?
My thoughts are to be careful and keep an eye on the warning system, which is very good, with varying levels of warnings based on the risk.
Based on the warning in force, there are typhoon safety recommendations that, if you follow, there is not much to worry about.
Essential Weather Tips for Visitorstop
My rule of thumb when visiting Hong Kong is not to worry too much about the weather, just:
- Keep an eye on the typhoon warnings that are posted everywhere.
- Sunscreen is not optional; just make sure it's at least SPF50+ and not out of date.
- Stay well hydrated always; the summers can get crazy hot.
- No matter what time of year, carry a small umbrella for those wet days.
- Note the warnings on the MTR screens; they have the typhoon, rainstorm, landslide and heat warnings displayed.