2022 among sixth warmest on record

January 9, 2023

The Hong Kong Observatory today said 2022 was one of the sixth warmest years for Hong Kong since records began in 1884.

 

With a record-breaking hot July and the warmest autumn from September to November, last year's weather was warmer than usual. The annual mean temperature was 23.9 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees above normal.

 

The annual mean maximum temperature of 26.7 degrees Celsius and annual mean minimum temperature of 22 degrees Celsius were the fifth and one of the seventh highest on record respectively.

 

The highest temperature recorded in 2022 was 36.1 degrees Celsius on July 24, one of the third highest on record. The number of hot nights in the year were 52, same as that of very hot days, and both ranked the second highest on record.

 

Moreover, there were 15 days with daily maximum temperatures equal to or higher than 35 degrees Celsius, reaching a record high.

 

The lowest temperature recorded was 7.5 degrees on February 21. The number of cold days in the year was 13 days, which was 2.2 days less than normal.

 

The annual total rainfall in 2022 was 2,205.4mm, about 9% below the normal of 2,431.2mm, with two red rainstorm warnings issued in the period.

 

There were 25 days with thunderstorms last year, about 17 days less than the normal figure.

 

A total of 27 tropical cyclones occurred over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in 2022, less than the long-term average of about 30. In Hong Kong, six tropical cyclones necessitated the issuance of tropical cyclone warning signals, near the long-term average in a year.

 

The No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal was issued during the passage of several storms, namely Chaba in July, Ma-on in August and Nalgae in November.

Back to top