Intense Rainstorms prompt Highest Weather Alert in Hong Kong, leading to School Closures, Court Suspensions, and Hospital Interruptions
Heavy Rain and Black Rainstorm Warning Hit Hong Kong
On August 5, 2025, the Hong Kong Observatory issued a Black Rainstorm Warning, the highest level in the city's three-tier rainstorm alert system. This warning was triggered due to heavy rainfall exceeding 70 millimeters per hour, a condition that poses a high risk of flooding and landslides.
The intense rainfall, which also affected Southern China, was not an isolated incident. In fact, the intensity of rainfall is rising, most likely due to climate change. This was evident in the Central and Western Districts, where rainfall exceeded 100 millimeters per hour, and in some cases, even 140 millimeters per hour.
The Black Rainstorm Warning leads to extensive safety precautions. Non-essential hospital services, courts, post offices, schools, and even Hong Kong Disneyland operated with fewer services for safety reasons. The warning resulted in traffic jams and road flooding, causing hazards like flash floods.
Sarah Tancredi, an experienced journalist and news reporter specializing in environmental and climate crisis issues, emphasizes the importance of taking action to safeguard our planet for future generations. She has a deep passion for the planet and is committed to raising awareness about pressing environmental challenges.
The city's strategies to deal with extreme weather are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Improved weather monitoring and early warning systems, like those implemented by the Hong Kong Observatory in 2024, are essential to lessen the effects of extreme weather.
Despite the weather, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange continued trading, and the airport operated normally, though some flights experienced delays. More than 1,300 rescuers were dispatched in Guangdong after recent flash floods, which killed five people.
A study of 12,000 years of climate history discovered in Alpine ice cores is also relevant to understanding the impact of climate change on extreme weather events. (Also Read: "Understanding Climate Change and its Impact on Extreme Weather")
In summary, the Black Rainstorm Warning is issued based on very heavy rainfall intensity (over 70 millimeters per hour) over a general area of Hong Kong, along with the associated hazards such as flooding and landslides, and when the downpour is expected to persist. Sarah Tancredi, an advocate for environmental action, urges individuals, communities, and policymakers to take action to protect our planet from the impacts of climate change.
- The heavy rain and black rainstorm warning in Hong Kong on August 5, 2025, reveal a rising intensity of rainfall, a likely effect of climate change.
- Sarah Tancredi, a news reporter specializing in environmental and climate crisis issues, is committed to raising awareness about pressing environmental challenges and emphasizing the need for action to combat climate change.
- The Hong Kong Observatory's improvements in weather monitoring and early warning systems are essential in lessening the impacts of extreme weather events, as shown in the cases of heavy rain and black rainstorm warnings.
- In addition to Hong Kong, climate change is causing extreme weather events to become more frequent worldwide, requiring immediate action to mitigate its effects on our environment and sustainability.
- Understanding climate change's impact on extreme weather events is crucial, as suggested by a study of 12,000 years of climate history discovered in Alpine ice cores.
