A big chill is predicted to hit Hong Kong next week as temperatures fall to single digits to about nine degrees Celsius on Sunday and next Monday, the South China Morning Post reports.

This has led to online speculation that about 1cm of snowfall is expected this weekend.

But forecasters The Hong Kong Observatory have been quick to clarify that the cold surge expected to reach southern China on Thursday would most likely only trigger a chilly spell.

Rumours of snow

Rumours of snow in Hong Kong started after the unofficial Hong Kong Weather Information Centre website cited a 10-day prediction on weather-forecast.com.

The website makes automated forecasts based on modelling data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the US-based Global Forecast System (GFS).

Weather maps from The Weather Underground, a commercial online weather service, were also cited.

News outlets then picked up the speculation, which prompted further speculation across social media.

Hopes dashed

However, hopes of snow more or less ended when the Observatory’s more rigorous nine-day weather forecast was released.

Their analysis suggested the possibility of snow flakes was “very low” after looking at ECMWF data in addition to computer modelling from several other countries

According to them, their forecast shows that there won’t even be rain next Sunday or Monday, but the exact reverse might occur: The weather might even be sunny.

Snow in Hong Kong

Previously, on at least a few occasions, there have been reports of snowfall four times in sub-tropical Hong Kong since the Second World War.

The last one was in 1975 at Tai Mo Shan, the territory’s highest mountain.

However, it is impossible to confirm due to the technology available at that time whether it was snow or frost and ice, which have often been spotted on the mountain during especially cold winters.

According to the weatherman, it is physically possible to achieve snow conditions in Hong Kong but the chance of it is very low as various conditions, including ground and lower atmosphere temperatures, humidity and precipitation forming mechanisms, are needed to be met for snow to form.

H/T South China Morning Post

Top photo via

If you like what you read, follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get the latest updates.