HKO and SCHSA Advise Public to Prepare for Extreme Hot Weather this Summer

HKO and SCHSA advise public to prepare for very hot weather in summer

The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) and the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (SCHSA) held a joint press conference today (May 28) to speak on the very hot weather and the latest developments of El Niño, and to advise the public to prepare for the very hot weather in summer.

The Acting Assistant Director of the HKO, Mr Choy Chun-wing, said, "Hong Kong's weather has been persistently very hot over the past couple of days. Temperatures over many places rose to around 35 degrees this afternoon. Under the influence of an anticyclone aloft, it is expected that high temperatures will continue tomorrow (May 29) with extremely hot weather during the day. The maximum temperature in urban areas will rise to 35 degrees, while temperatures in the New Territories could reach 36 to 37 degrees. Members of the public should take adequate protective measures against the heat."

He further explained, "Since high temperatures may trigger convective development, there will be a few showers with isolated squally thunderstorms later tomorrow. A trough of low pressure is expected to bring showers and thunderstorms to the coast of southern China later tomorrow and on Saturday (May 30). There will still be a few showers on Sunday (May 31). Members of the public should beware of the change in weather. Under the influence of an easterly airstream and showers, high temperatures weather will be alleviated over the weekend."

Mr Choy further elaborated on the latest developments of El Niño, explaining that the sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific are expected to continue rising and that an El Niño event will develop during summer and autumn. The event is forecast to persist at least until the end of this year or early next year, reaching moderate intensity or above, or potentially stronger, and the probability of a strong El Niño event is gradually rising. A stronger El Niño event typically increases the likelihood of above normal temperatures over different regions of the world. Therefore, under the combined effect of climate warming and a stronger El Niño, Hong Kong is expected to be hotter than normal this year and next year, with a significantly higher annual mean temperature. There will be a high chance of reaching the warmest top 10 on record this year. For this summer, the HKO expects that the mean temperature will be above normal. Members of the public are advised to prepare for the very hot weather in summer. Those who are more vulnerable to heat stroke should pay special attention to prevent discomfort caused by the heat.

The Chief Executive Officer of the SCHSA, Ms Maura Wong, said, "The elderly are more prone to heat exhaustion and heat stroke during the height of summer. In 2024, the Association conducted a telephone survey, which found that, on average, nearly one in four elderly persons had felt unwell due to the heat, experiencing symptoms such as dizziness and breathing difficulties. Last summer alone, the Association handled more than 7 700 emergency assistance cases requiring hospitalisation. The Association urges the elderly to take precautions against the heat during the height of summer, and carers should also take a more proactive role in looking after the elderly by providing timely care and support."

For more information on protection against the heat, please visit the following websites:

• The HKO on precautions of the Very Hot Weather Warning (www.hko.gov.hk/en/wservice/warning/coldhot.htm);

• The Department of Health "Beware of Heat Stroke" (www.chp.gov.hk/en/static/90064.html);

• The Labour Department "Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work"(www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/prevention_of_heat_stroke_at_work.htm); and

• The Home Affairs Department on temporary heat shelters (www.had.gov.hk/en/public_services/emergency_services/emergency.htm).

The Acting Assistant Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Mr Choy Chun-wing (left), and the Chief Executive Officer of the Senior Citizen Home Safety Association, Ms Maura Wong (right), held a joint press conference today (May 28) to advise the public to prepare for the very hot weather in summer. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Opening remarks by SITI at HKUST Unicorn Day 2026 "From Ideas to Miracles - 35 Years of Impact and Beyond"

Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at HKUST Unicorn Day 2026 "From Ideas to Miracles - 35 Years of Impact and Beyond" today (June 2):

HKUST, Photo source: reference image

Professor Nancy Ip (President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)), Ms Edith Shih (Vice-Chairperson of the University Council of the HKUST), Professor Ni (Founding President of the HKUST (Guangzhou), Professor Lionel Ni), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. It is my great pleasure to join you all at HKUST Unicorn Day, especially as the University celebrates its remarkable 35th anniversary.

In just three and a half decades, the HKUST has risen from a bold vision on Clearwater Bay to a global powerhouse in deep-tech, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The University's ability to nurture unicorns and deep-tech ventures is the result of visionary leadership, a culture that embraces experimentation, and an ecosystem that nurtures talent and empowers young innovators to turn ideas into impact. Few young universities in the world have recorded such a rapid ascent. The HKUST's achievements are truly impressive.

Innovation and technology (I&T) has always been on the top agenda of the Hong Kong SAR Government. We fully recognise the crucial role of local universities - not only as key partners, but as the bedrock of Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem. To this end, the Government has implemented a series of forward-looking initiatives to accelerate research translation, strengthen collaboration, and expand our talent pipeline. Among these, the RAISe+ Scheme has been particularly well received by local universities. To date, 73 projects have been supported, with over $3 billion of government funding committed.Nineteen of them came from the HKUST. This once again demonstrates the HKUST's strength in translating frontier research into real-world applications.

This year also marks the beginning of the National 15th Five-Year Plan, which signals clear and unwavering support for Hong Kong's I&T development. Just last week, Hong Kong celebrated a historic milestone in our nation's space endeavours. It is the first time ever that a payload expert from Hong Kong has joined the Shenzhou-23 manned spaceflight. We understand that among many other missions, our Hong Kong-born payload expert will operate the Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory, an advanced Earth observation instrument invented by Professor Su Hui's team of the HKUST, on board the Tiangong space station. This is a powerful recognition of Hong Kong's scientific excellence at the national level. It also sends a clear message to all students and young innovators: Your ideas can go from the laboratory not only to the marketplace, but also to space. The future of innovation belongs to those who dare to dream boldly and fight for what they believe in.

As we look ahead, Hong Kong is entering a golden era of I&T development. We are building new engines of Hong Kong's high-quality development, including the Hetao Hong Kong Park, the San Tin Technopole and the Sandy Ridge Data Facility Cluster. In addition to the existing R&D (research and development) institutes such as the Hong Kong Productivity Council, ASTRI (Applied Science and Technology Research Institute) and the Microelectronics Research and Development Institute, we will have the AI Research and Development Institute and the Life and Health Technology Research Institute to focus on R&D in the respective fields and lead industry application. All these will create unprecedented opportunities for universities, enterprises, and start-ups to work together, scale faster, and connect more deeply with the Greater Bay Area and the world.

As the HKUST celebrates its 35th anniversary, it stands on the cusp of an even more fruitful chapter. With the collective efforts of government, industry,academia,research and investmentsectors, and with the passion of young people inspired by achievements from Unicorn Day to Shenzhou 23, I am confident that Hong Kong will rise as a leading international I&T centre and contribute meaningfully to our nation's high-quality development, and that the HKUST will continue to be a driving force in this amazing journey.

May I wish Unicorn Day great success. Thank you.

Professor Sun Dong, Photo source: reference image

Opening remarks by SITI at HKUST Unicorn Day 2026 "From Ideas to Miracles - 35 Years of Impact and Beyond" Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases