Hong Kong recorded its highest temperature ever on Sunday, breaking a record that had stood for 142 years [1], [2], [3].
The event marks a significant escalation in regional extreme weather patterns. The combination of a pre-existing heatwave and a tropical cyclone created a rare atmospheric condition that pushed temperatures to unprecedented levels.
The Hong Kong Observatory headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui recorded a peak temperature of 36.9°C [1], [2], [3]. While one report cited the peak as 36.8°C [4], the majority of meteorological data confirms the higher figure. This represents a substantial increase over the previous record of 34.7°C [5].
Official temperature records for the city began in 1884 [1]. For over a century, the city had not seen a day this hot, a streak that ended this week.
Meteorologists said the spike was due to the influence of Tropical Cyclone Dolphin [1], [2], [3]. The typhoon acted as a mechanism to drive warm air directly into the city, intensifying the heat already present from an ongoing heatwave [1], [2], [6].
The surge in temperature occurred as the city faced the dual pressure of high humidity and extreme heat. The Hong Kong Observatory, the city's meteorological service, monitored the shift as the storm system manipulated local air currents [1], [2], [3].
“Hong Kong recorded its highest temperature ever on Sunday, breaking a record that had stood for 142 years.”
The breaking of a 142-year-old temperature record suggests a shift in the intensity of heat events in East Asia. The role of Typhoon Dolphin demonstrates how tropical cyclones can occasionally exacerbate heatwaves by steering warm air masses into urban centers, rather than providing the cooling effect typically associated with storm systems.
