FEHD strengthens enforcement, publicity and education to stringently combat dripping air conditioners
A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (May 5) that with the frequent use of air conditioners in summer, the environmental hygiene nuisances caused by dripping air conditioners are expected to be more notable, affecting pedestrians and waiting transit passengers in particular. To this end, the FEHD will carry out large-scale operations from May to September to tackle dripping air conditioners. Targeting more than 300 dripping blackspots across the territory, the third-generation AI Dripping Air Conditioner Investigation System will be deployed to step up enforcement with a targeted strategy, focusing specifically on reducing nuisances to pedestrians and waiting passengers. The operations aim to further enhance enforcement effectiveness and improve environmental hygiene.
The FEHD will fully adopt the third-generation Dripping Air Conditioner Investigation System with AI functions in all districts from this summer. Equipped with high-precision visual image recognition technology, the system can automatically detect dripping locations and accurately identify sources, significantly shortening the time required for observation and evidence collection. It can operate effectively despite low-light conditions during night-time or early morning hours, overcoming the constraints on enforcement posed by the difficulties of pinpointing dripping sources during specific hours. The system's innovative technology is recognised internationally and has earned it the Bronze Award in the category of Engineering and Robotics - Optical Sensing and Spatial Intelligence at the Edison Awards 2026 this April.
In preparation for the upcoming summer, the FEHD has proactively escalated publicity and education efforts to enhance public awareness and foster a sense of responsibility regarding dripping air conditioners. Over the past two weeks (April 16 to 30), FEHD officers conducted a series of publicity activities across various districts, including closely liaising with District Offices, District Councils (DCs), and local committees to encourage the public to face and follow up on the problem of dripping air conditioners through community networks, and the participation of various DCs and district organisations in related publicity activities and work. The FEHD also actively collaborated with property management companies to facilitate the distribution of promotional leaflets and the display of posters in building premises and housing estates. Additionally, the FEHD set up promotional booths at popular public spots and on streets with high pedestrian flows to promote public knowledge of proper air conditioner maintenance and preventive measures against dripping, and to urge property owners to proactively and promptly check and repair their air conditioners. Throughout the period, about 15 000 related leaflets and posters were distributed across about 390 buildings and housing estates. The department will continuously disseminate practical information on preventing dripping air conditioners to the general public through online platforms and thematic webpages.
The spokesman stressed that, in accordance with the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), a person shall be guilty of an offence if he allows his air conditioner to discharge water in such a manner as to be a hygiene nuisance to others. If a nuisance is proven, the FEHD will issue a Nuisance Notice to require the owner or occupier of the relevant premises to stop the nuisance within a specified period. A person who fails to comply may be prosecuted and, upon conviction, is liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $25,000, and a daily fine of $450 as long as the nuisance continues.
The FEHD calls on members of the public to check their air conditioners regularly. If water dripping is detected, they should expeditiously resolve the problem to avoid causing a nuisance to others. For more information on dripping air conditioners, please refer to the leaflet on the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pleasant_environment/library/aircon/Pamphlet_water_dripping_from_air_conditioner.pdf).
A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (May 5) that with the arrival of summer, the FEHD will carry out large-scale operations from May to September to tackle dripping air conditioners. In preparation for the upcoming summer, the FEHD has also proactively escalated publicity and education efforts to enhance public awareness and foster a sense of responsibility regarding dripping air conditioners. Photo shows FEHD staff carrying out publicity and education work in Yau Tsim district earlier to distribute promotional leaflets to members of the public. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
An exceptionally warm April
The exceptionally warm weather in the first quarter of 2026 continued into April 2026, mainly attributed to the warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures and a stronger-than-usual southerly flow in the lower atmosphere over the northern part of the South China Sea. The monthly mean minimum temperature of 23.8 degrees, mean temperature of 25.5 degrees, and mean maximum temperature of 27.9 degrees were respectively 2.7 degrees, 2.5 degrees, and 2.3 degrees above their corresponding normals. All three values were the second highest on record for April. The monthly rainfall was 160.4 millimetres, about 5 per cent above the normal of 153.0 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall recorded for the first four months of the year was 359.6 millimetres, about 20 per cent above the normal of 300.4 millimetres for the same period.
Under the influence of the northeast monsoon and a band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong, local weather was mainly cloudy with a slightly cooler morning on the first day of the month. There were also one or two showers at night. Affected by an easterly airstream and a subsequent southerly airstream, the weather of Hong Kong remained cloudy with a few showers on the next two days. With a trough of low pressure lingering over the coastal areas of Guangdong, there were occasional showers and a few squally thunderstorms on April 4 and 5. Showers were heavy at times. More than 40 millimetres of rainfall were generally recorded over the eastern part of Hong Kong, and rainfall even exceeded 80 millimetres over Tai Po District on these two days. The Observatory registered a daily rainfall of 45.1 millimetres on April 5, the second highest on record for the Ching Ming Festival since 1884.
As a southerly airstream set in, the weather of Hong Kong became hot with sunny intervals during the day on April 6 and 7. Under the influence of a strong easterly airstream and associated cloud bands over the coast of Guangdong on April 8, local weather turned windier and cloudy with a few rain patches. Visibility was relatively low in some areas. With the easterly airstream being replaced by a southerly airstream the following day, local weather was misty with one or two light rain patches in the morning. The visibility in the harbour once fell below 3000 metres in the morning. It was hot with sunny intervals during the day. The southerly airstream continued to affect the coast of Guangdong from April 10 to 16. Local weather remained mainly cloudy from April 10 to 12 and it was hot during the day. An anticyclone aloft brought sunny periods and hot weather during the day to Hong Kong from April 13 to 16. With abundant sunshine, the temperature at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 30.2 degrees in the afternoon on April 16, the highest of the month.
An area of intense thundery showers associated with a trough of low pressure affected the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary on the afternoon of April 17. Locally, heavy showers with severe squally thunderstorms were recorded that afternoon, with over 30 millimetres of rainfall on Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island. Hail was reported on Lamma Island. Winds were weak on the next three days. The weather of Hong Kong was mainly fine, hot and dry during the day on April 18 and 19, then turned mainly cloudy with a few showers on April 20. Under light wind conditions, visibility was rather low in some areas on April 18 and the mornings of April 19 and 20. Showers and thunderstorms associated with upper-air disturbances affected the coast of Guangdong on April 21. Locally, the weather was mainly cloudy with a few showers in the morning. Showers were heavier with squally thunderstorms over the eastern part of Hong Kong Island and Sai Kung District. With the departure of upper-air disturbances, the weather improved on the afternoon of April 21 with sunny intervals. Local weather remained hot with sunny periods during the day on April 22 under the influence of a southerly airstream.
A cold front moved across the coast of Guangdong around noon on April 23. The associated northeast monsoon brought cooler weather later that day with temperatures generally 3 to 5 degrees lower than those of the day before. With the continual influence of the northeast monsoon on the next day, the temperature at the Observatory dropped to a minimum of 19.7 degrees on the afternoon of April 24, the lowest of the month. Upper-air disturbances also brought showers and squally thunderstorms to the territory on April 23 and 24. Around 20 millimetres of rainfall were recorded in the New Territories in the evening on April 23, and rainfall exceeded 30 millimetres over many places on April 24. As the northeast monsoon and a cloud band lingered, local weather was mainly cloudy on April 25 with one or two light rain patches in the morning. A drier easterly airstream affected the coast of Guangdong on the next two days, bringing generally fine and dry weather during the day on April 26 and 27. Upper-air disturbances affected Guangdong on the next two days. Local weather was mainly cloudy with sunny intervals during the day on April 28. There were a few showers and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. A cold front moved across the coastal areas of Guangdong on the afternoon of April 29. Locally, it was mainly cloudy with occasional showers and a few squally thunderstorms that day. Showers were heavy at times. Around 30 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over many places, and rainfall even exceeded 50 millimetres over Hong Kong Island. Temperatures started to drop in the late afternoon due to the associated northeast monsoon. As the upper-air disturbances departed and under the influence of the northeast monsoon, local weather was dry during the day with sunny intervals on the last day of the month. It was cooler in the morning. The relative humidity over most parts of the territory during the day fell to around 50 per cent.
One tropical cyclone occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in April 2026.
Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for April are tabulated in Table 2.
Source: AI-found images
