Update : For the latest updates, please read this article.
The Hong Kong Observatory raised the Strong Wind Signal, No. 3 at 5.40pm on Friday as Typhoon Koinu nears the city, which will remain in place until at least 6am on Saturday. Koinu, which is currently classified as a Severe Typhoon, was estimated to be about 180km southeast of Hong Kong at 2pm on Saturday.
Situation on Friday
The weather system is expected to weaken to a Typhoon by Sunday, when it will be 150km south of the SAR. Meanwhile, the weather will be mainly cloudy with occasional squally showers, which will become heavier on Sunday and Monday. Temperatures will drop, and hover at around 28 degrees Celsius.
The city’s vast network of public transportation — which comprises trains, light rain, buses, ferries, and trams — will run as usual. The Education Bureau also announced that classes for kindergartens and special schools will be suspended, which will remain the case on Monday if the T3 warning is still in place then.
Harbourfront activities scheduled over the weekend as part of the Night Vibes Hong Kong campaign, such as the Waterfront Carnival at Wan Chai, and the night market at Belcher Bay Promenade at Kennedy Town, have been cancelled in anticipation of heavy showers on Sunday and Monday. In addition, all outdoor Freespace Jazz Fest performances on Saturday are cancelled.
Situation on Saturday
According to latest update issued by Hong Kong Observatory at 6.45 AM, The Strong Wind Signal, No. 3, is expected to be active for the majority of the day.
Situation on Sunday
Hong Kong Observatory will issue T8 at 12:40PM. Please follow the latest news on this article.
Hong Kong experienced two major typhoons over the summer. The first was Typhoon Talim that hit the city in mid-July, for which Storm Signal No. 8 was raised. Typhoon Saola struck the SAR in early September, during which the Storm Signal 10 was hoisted for the first time in five years. During both typhoons, the MTR ran at reduced frequencies, and bus and ferry services were cancelled.
The territory also saw its highest rainfall in 140 years in early September, when the longest Black Rainstorm warning in the city’s history — lasting 16 hours and 35 minutes — was issued. Roads across the city were waterlogged, schools closed, and the Wong Tai Sin MTR station flooded.
To understand Hong Kong’s typhoon signals and weather warnings, read our explainer here. If you want to know how to best prepare for a typhoon in Hong Kong, read our guide here.
Header image credits: johnlsl via Flickr
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