Hong Kong has a sub-tropical climate, being temperate for nearly half the year, with cool, dry winters and hot, humid summers.

Winter lasts from January to March with January and February more cloudy, with occasional cold fronts followed by dry northerly winds. It is not uncommon for temperatures to drop below 10°C in urban areas. February is the coldest month in Hong Kong, when the temperature averages 16°C. March and April are very pleasant however, there are occasional spells of high humidity, fog and drizzle can be particularly troublesome. May to August are hot and humid with occasional showers and thunderstorms, and the highest temperatures often exceed 31°C. July to September are the months during which Hong Kong is most likely to be affected by tropical cyclones.

The annual rainfall ranges from around 1300 millimetres to more than 3000 millimetres. About 80 percent of the rain falls between May and September. The wettest month is August, when rain occurs about four days out of seven and the average monthly rainfall at the Observatory is 391.4 millimetres. The driest month is January, when the monthly average is only 23.4 millimetres and rain falls only about six days a month.

Best time to travel

Hong Kong is an all-year-round destination. The most popular time to visit is from the middle of September to the end of February, when the weather is cooler. At its coolest (mid-December to February), the temperature may fall to 10oC (50oF); at its warmest (late May to mid-September), it averages 28oC (82oF) but may reach 33oC (91oF).

Weather during the Olympic

The Equestrian events of Beijing 2008 Olympic will be held at the Hong Kong Equestrian Center from 9th to 20th. Weather in Hong Kong features long, lingering, hot summers. Hong Kong will be baked by a sticky heat during the Olympic time with a predicted temperature ranging from 26 degree centigrade ( 78.8 F) to 33 degree centigrade(91.4 F) with the humidity increasing to 95 percent.