HONG KONG – A cold front moving across the coastal areas of Guangdong is bringing heavy showers and squally thunderstorms to the region, the Hong Kong Observatory said on Saturday afternoon.
“A few squally thunderstorms are expected to occur over Hong Kong,” the forecaster said. Showers will be heavier in some areas with a few squally thunderstorms, but will ease off gradually overnight, it added.
The HKO issued a thunderstorm warning at 2:27 pm and a strong monsoon signal later at 5:15 pm.
Between 15:45 and 16:45 pm, lightning was detected within Lantau, New Territories East, Hong Kong, and Kowloon.
READ MORE: HK braces for cooler weather as cold front nears
Local winds are becoming northerlies gradually and will strengthen, occasionally gale force offshore and on high ground, reads a 5:15 pm HKO bulletin.
“Intense gusts may continue to affect Hong Kong. Seek safe shelter as soon as possible if you are staying outdoors,” it said, adding that gusts of around 70 kilometers per hour were recorded at Chek Lap Kok at around 5:05 pm.
The observatory urged the public, especially those working at height or engaging in outdoor activities, to take special care against high winds, and fasten objects that are likely to be blown away.
It also cautioned that temperatures will drop gradually. The minimum temperature on Sunday morning will be about 17 degrees and it will be very dry with sunny intervals during the day.
The observatory said there will be fresh to strong northerly winds, occasionally gale force offshore and on high ground at first. Winds will moderate later on Sunday with relatively low visibility in some areas.
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Meanwhile, a water splashing festival at Carpenter Road Park Basketball Courts in Kowloon City to celebrate Songkran had to be suspended on Saturday afternoon due to the threat of heavy rain, local media reported.
A thunderstorm warning prompted organizers to put the "Water Splashing with Electronic Music" event on hold. The splashing is slated to take place on Sunday if weather permits.
