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Hail was reported in Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong province on Tuesday, with residents urged to seek shelter amid “violent” winds.
The weather forecaster issued the warning at 10pm on Tuesday, saying hail had been reported in the Pearl River Delta region.
“Seek shelter immediately if you are outdoors,” it said.
A concert by Taiwanese band Mayday at the Central Harbourfront was cut short due to the poor weather, with the encore moved online and indoors.
Tornadoes hitting Hong Kong? Weather expert says it’s not likely to happen
Tornadoes hitting Hong Kong? Weather expert says it’s not likely to happen
Security camera footage from Shan Ha Road in Yuen Long circulating online showed hail falling amid torrential rain at around 9.30pm. In Macau, pebble-sized ice balls and a waterspout were seen be residents at around 9pm.
The forecaster also said “violent” gusts of up to 100km/h (62mph) were reported at Cheung Chau at around 9.45pm.
An amber rainstorm alert was issued at 9.30pm and cancelled at 11pm.
The Observatory said a trough of low pressure would bring heavy showers and squally thunderstorms to the coast of southern China, including Hong Kong on Wednesday while an easterly airstream would affect the coast of Guangdong in the following couple of days.
Hail is relatively rare in the city, occurring about once every one or two years, according to the Observatory. Between 2000 and 2023, Hong Kong recorded 14 days with hail.
