There’s been a near continuous stretch of rain over Hong Kong lately. This started almost three weeks ago and by the looks of the forecast it will take another week!

Let’s hope this is a prelude to a beatiful summer.

Living in a more or less tropical region of the world, the weather is very irregular this time of year.

Yesterday I was laying in the pool, Saturday night we got hosed down on the way back from a party, and by the looks of it the rest of the week we’ll be needing the umbrellas.

It’s not the best time to visit Hong Kong these last few weeks.

Either it’s been very wet, with rain all day, or it’s just too hot to bear.

Yesterday and today the mercury shot up to 37 degrees celsius and going outside feels like entering a sauna.

The Hong Kong Observatory actually effected their very hot weather warning:

VERY HOT WEATHER WARNING

THE VERY HOT WEATHER WARNING IS NOW IN FORCE.

THE HONG KONG OBSERVATORY IS FORECASTING VERY HOT WEATHER
IN HONG KONG TODAY. THE RISK OF HEATSTROKE IS HIGH.

WHEN ENGAGED IN OUTDOOR WORK OR ACTIVITIES, DO DRINK PLENTY
OF WATER AND AVOID OVER EXERTION. IF NOT FEELING WELL, TAKE
A REST IN THE SHADE OR COOLER PLACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THE HONG KONG OBSERVATORY ADVISES THAT PROLONGED EXPOSURE
UNDER SUNLIGHT IS TO BE AVOIDED. LOOSE CLOTHING, SUITABLE
HATS AND UV-ABSORBING SUNGLASSES CAN REDUCE THE CHANCE OF
SUNBURN BY SOLAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION.

SWIMMERS AND THOSE TAKING PART IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD
USE A SUNSCREEN LOTION OF SPF 15 OR ABOVE, AND SHOULD
RE-APPLY IT FREQUENTLY.

DISPATCHED BY HONG KONG OBSERVATORY AT 06:46 HKT ON 19.07.2005

Ah, well, at least it’s dry.

Marc

The weather has been cold these days, but when there’s no clouds like today, the mercury goes up and it becomes nice and warm.
So it was a pleasant day today and we spent a considerable time on this patch of grass near the beach. Life’s great.

This is the best time of the year: not boiling hot, but still blue skies and very pleasant. Check out the forecast for the next five days - five times brigt and sunny! With a bit of luck we’ll have this weather till Xmas!

Cheers,

Marc

Well today the tropical cyclone warning signal went up to no. 3, then to 8, and just earlier this evening to no. 9. So after a short morning session in the office I was on my way back home around 1.30 pm.

Usually people would have been happy with an afternoon off, back at home, nothing to do, watch TV, rent some DVDs, basically enjoy a weekend feeling.

However - enter the Internet Age: You can just continue working from home thanks to email, broadband internet, and web based solutions.

So my afternoon was spend with the usual email and odd phone call.

It’s now evening time 9 pm and this storm is getting very strong indeed. The signal went up to number 9 about an hour ago and I can surely notice this. Winds are now hurling around the building and howling noises come from all windows and the aircons. It’s so loud that we have to put up the TV volume quite loud to hear the news announcements.

That’s all for now - let’s hope I won’t be gone with the wind

Marcus

It’s the middle of the typhoon season in Hong Kong and that means plenty of storms come and go on our horizons. The next one - named Dujuan - is currently over the South China Sea and seems to be on a straight collision course with Hong Kong.

A Tropical Storm signal no. 1 was hoisted at 10.15pm tonite and that means a typhoon is within a 800 Km radius of Hong Kong. If it comes closer the signal will go to no. 3 and if it is really about to hit the SAR, the no. 8 signal will be hoisted.

This no. 8 signal basically means a standstill in public and economic life: public transport stops operating, shops close, offices and schools close, and everybody basically locks themselves up in their house.

However - the general mood among the Hong Kongers is that they’re not worried at all; most of them just look forward to an extra day off.

As for me, should it go up to no. 8, then you can find me near the beach in Discovery Bay to check out the rough seas. I’ll try and make some pictures if that happens. On my day off

Cheers,

Marcus

(picture is courtesy of the Hong Kong Observatory)

(click on image for a panorama version - scrolling required!)

The last few weeks the weather has been incredibly clear in Hong Kong.

After having spend most of the last year under a blanket of smog and with equally dull an grey weather, clear skies seem to be all that Hong Kong is getting now. It seems that at least the weather gods turned favourable to Hong Kong after tough times in terms of health and economy in the last few months.

At least all this perfect weather has one good effect on me: it makes your day feel better!

Happy working all this week

Marc