19th August 2026 – (Hong Kong) The Hong Kong Observatory issued a special weather tip at 6.05pm to alert residents to a low-pressure system over the northern South China Sea, saying its behaviour after crossing Hainan remains uncertain and that a No.1 Standby Signal may need to be considered in response to its strength and movement.
The Observatory said the system’s structure is still relatively loose and has not yet developed into a tropical cyclone. Under current projections, it should keep a distance from Hong Kong, but after passing Hainan its track could shift near the weekend, with a possibility of moving north towards the Beibu Gulf and the Leizhou Peninsula, or turning east and approaching the Guangdong coast.
On the mainland, the Central Meteorological Administration upgraded the disturbance to a tropical low at about 5.30pm. Forecasts put its centre around 270 kilometres east of Wenchang, Hainan, with maximum winds near the centre at about level 7, equivalent to 15 metres per second or 54 kilometres per hour, and a minimum central pressure around 998 hectopascals. The forecast said it would rotate with little movement overnight, then drift slowly west at about 5 to 10 kilometres per hour as it moves across Hainan and into the Beibu Gulf, with little change in intensity.
For Thursday, the Observatory also updated its nine-day forecast at 4.30pm. It expects east to south-easterly winds of around level 5 over the city, with offshore winds strengthening to around level 6, and initially on high ground gusts may reach level 8, bringing gale conditions. The day is expected to be generally cloudy with occasional squally showers and locally more intense downpours, along with squally thunderstorms in some areas.
Friday and Saturday should be somewhat more manageable, with east to south-easterly winds easing to around level 4, and offshore winds fluctuating between calm and level 5. Temperatures are forecast to stay around 27 to 31 degrees Celsius, while showers and squally thunderstorms continue. The Observatory warned that Friday may see more frequent downpours in some areas, whereas Saturday could bring heavier rain.
As the system affects southern China, the Observatory said relative humidity across the territory may peak at about 95 per cent. Mainland forecasters also expect that accumulated rainfall over the next 10 days in parts of South China, including Hong Kong and Macau, will exceed 100 millimetres.