In a lot of other places, October means crisp air, dropping temperatures, and leaves changing colour.
Not here, folks. Hong Kong just had its hottest and second-wettest October on record, because climate change is the worst.
This is a metaphor for us shrinking away from climate change. It’s not the most airtight comparison, but go with it. Photo: Parks and Recreation/NBC Universal
According to figures from the Hong Kong Observatory, last month’s mean maximum temperature (29.1 degrees), mean temperature (26.8 degrees) and mean minimum temperature (25 degrees) were all 1.3 degrees above their respective average figures, and were all the highest ever recorded during the month of October.
In addition, unseasonably late typhoons and storms — which at some points paralysed the city — made it also one of the wettest Octobers on record too.
We’re not kidding. Apparently the rainfall recorded last month (624.4 millilitres) was over six times as much as the average rainfall in October (100.9 millilitres).
Between 3 and 4pm on the afternoon of October 19, under the combined effect of Typhoon Sarika and a northeast monsoon, the city was hit by the highest hourly rainfall since records began in 1884, resulting in the first ever October Black Rainstorm Warning since the warning system began in 1992.
Despite roads getting flooded, schoolbuses getting trapped on bridges, and motorcycles being washed away, we’re not mad about that. Why? Because it’s the day Starbucks Uncle transcended us all to become an icon of the Lion Rock Spirit, and we’re forever grateful for that.
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