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The Environment
Meteorological and Geophysical Services
The Hong Kong Observatory provides meteorological, climatological, radiation monitoring, oceanographic, geophysical, time and astronomical services.
Weather Forecasting and Information Services
The Observatory publicises weather information through the media, mobile application MyObservatory, Observatory website, Windows desktop application Weather Wizard, social media and Dial-a-Weather telephone service. It produces regular weather television programmes and an educational series, Cool Met Stuff, for free for Hong Kong's major television networks and other media. In March, the Observatory launched its Facebook and Instagram platforms to enhance the provision of weather services and public communication via social media, attracting over 120,000 and 12,000 followers respectively as at end-2018.
During the year, the Observatory also launched a Regional Information on Heavy Rain and Thunderstorm webpage to display regional rainfall and lightning locations in Hong Kong, and provided Clear Water Bay temperatures, West Kowloon weather photos and weather satellite imagery covering the western Asia region on the Observatory's website.
The Observatory issues weather forecasts and warnings, and offers professional advice to government departments and the aviation, shipping, engineering and other sectors. It provides aviation weather services to the airport and the Hong Kong Flight Information Region, and works with airlines to promote and improve MyFlightWx, a mobile application which gives flight crew the latest inflight weather information electronically. The Observatory issues forecasts of wind, weather, waves and swells for the marine community and container terminals. Warnings are disseminated when tropical cyclones cause storm surges. In an ongoing collaboration with the Government Flying Service, a meteorological dropsonde system collects meteorological profile data over the South China Sea when conditions allow, to strengthen the analysis and forecasting of tropical cyclones.
Climate Services and Studies
The Observatory provides climatological information and predictions, including updates of phenomena such as El Niño and La Niña, an annual outlook on rainfall and the number of tropical cyclones affecting Hong Kong, and projections of seasonal temperature and rainfall. Climate services offered to government departments and stakeholders cover disaster risk. reduction, public health, water resources, urban planning and energy. The Observatory also conducts research on past trends and future projections of temperature, rainfall, sea level and extreme weather in Hong Kong, based on the latest assessment of global warming by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and provides the latest climate change information and assessment in support of policymaking and initiatives to combat climate change.
Radiation Monitoring and Assessment
The Observatory monitors ambient radiation levels and measures the amount of radioactivity in environmental samples, enhancing its monitoring and assessment capabilities through collaboration with Mainland and international counterparts. In the unlikely event of a nuclear
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