Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Hong Kong’s forecaster says the city should brace for another sweltering year with possibly more typhoons than normal.
The Hong Kong Observatory noted that 2023 was the city’s second-warmest year since records began in 1884, with the annual mean temperature reaching 24.5 degrees Celsius (76.1 degrees Fahrenheit). The warmest year ever was 2021.
The city logged 54 “very hot days” last year when the maximum temperature reached 33 degrees. There were another 56 “hot nights” with the minimum temperature reaching 28 degrees. Both almost broke the record for those categories.
“Looking ahead, El Nino will continue to weaken, while La Nina may start to develop in the second half of this year,” said Observatory director Dr Chan Pak-wai. He was referring to climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean that affect weather worldwide.
Chan said the forecaster expected five to eight typhoons to approach within 500km (311 miles) of the city this year.
“This is an above-normal level,” he said. “Hong Kong sees five to six typhoons every year ... It’s hard for us to forecast the intensity of the typhoons, but due to climate change, we expect a greater number of stronger typhoons.”
Hong Kong’s annual mean temperature is also expected to be above normal this year.
Quiz time
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Which was the warmest year in Hong Kong?
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What was the maximum temperature in Hong Kong last year?
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What are the climate patterns that affect global weather conditions mentioned in the article?
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How many typhoons does Hong Kong normally see every year?
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Why does the forecaster expect a larger number of stronger typhoons?
Suggested answers
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2021
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33 degrees Celsius
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El Nino and La Nina
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five to six
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the effects of climate change
