Hong Kong swelters as Tropical Cyclone Dolphin sees temperatures exceed 38°C

Hong Kong experienced scorching temperatures over 38°C on Saturday due to Tropical Cyclone Dolphin, triggering a heatwave in the city. According to the Observatory, temperatures peaked at 37°C in certain areas, with hotter weather expected to persist for a few more days. The heat is anticipated to transition to rain by Wednesday, with a southwesterly airstream affecting the Guangdong coast mid-next week.

The Hong Kong Observatory has previously cautioned about the potential for record-breaking high temperatures this year and beyond, attributing it to climate change and a forecasted "super-strong" El Niño event. El Niño is a climatic phenomenon characterized by unusually warm sea temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, which can significantly impact global weather patterns.

July 2025 saw Hong Kong's second-wettest month on record, with 20 amber and five red rainstorm warnings issued. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has highlighted a consistent rise in the frequency and intensity of heatwaves since the 1950s, largely due to human-induced climate change. Greenhouse gas emissions, a primary contributor to global warming, trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to higher surface temperatures.

These prolonged, intense heatwaves pose severe risks to human health, as demonstrated by a 2023 study predicting that by the end of the century, heat and humidity could become lethal in certain regions, especially during extended periods outdoors.