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Hongkongers will feel even colder than the actual temperature due to a “wind chill effect” as the mercury is expected to drop to around 14 degrees Celsius (57.2 Fahrenheit) over the next few days, the weather forecaster has warned.
Tse Shuk-mei, acting assistant director of the Hong Kong Observatory, said on Tuesday that a cold front had passed the coast of Guangdong, causing temperatures in urban areas to drop sharply from 21 degrees in the morning to about 15 degrees at night.
“We expect this situation to persist on Wednesday and Thursday, with the minimum temperature in urban areas dropping to about 14 degrees and some parts of the New Territories likely to be even lower,” she told a radio programme.
Tse warned that northerly winds would be relatively strong over the next few days, bringing a “noticeable” wind chill effect that would make it feel colder than the thermometer indicated.
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“When the wind is strong, it more easily carries away the body’s heat energy, making us feel colder than the actual temperature. Under such conditions, everyone – especially the elderly – should avoid staying outdoors for too long when it is very windy,” Tse said.