Hong Kong issues heat warning as temperatures hit record highs

The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) issued a hot weather warning on October 21, 2026, as temperatures are forecast to reach 33°C or higher across the city, with some areas in the New Territories potentially hitting 37°C. This weather event is expected to break the record for the latest hot weather warning of the year.

Experts attribute the extreme heat to three primary factors: the sinking air and high-pressure systems associated with the super typhoon “Melor,” the influence of a super El Niño event which has altered tropical circulation and weakened the cooling northeast monsoon, and a rising global temperature baseline due to climate change.

The super El Niño is expected to influence regional weather patterns through next spring, potentially leading to a warmer-than-average winter. Meteorological experts note that while the typhoon may bring clearer skies toward the weekend, high temperatures are likely to persist.