With global temperatures on the rise, Hong Kong’s hot and humid climate is presenting an intensified risk of severe heat stress. Prof. Jimmy FUNG, Associate Provost (Teaching & Learning); Chair Professor in the Division of Environment and Sustainability and the Department of Mathematics, pointed out that this is “a risk projected to worsen” and will rapidly transform from a peak summer hazard into a “persistent warm-season threat” in a recent interview with the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Prof. Fung, a well-recognized expert in atmospheric sciences, climate modeling, and air quality research, noted that the city will face more frequent and prolonged heatwaves in the coming decades. Citing his research team's study published in the journal Weather and Climate Extremes, which utilized data from 18 global climate models, he explained that the number of days per year repeatedly affected by heatwaves is projected to jump dramatically—from an annual average of 14 days in the 2010s to a staggering 101 days in the 2040s. In Hong Kong’s urban areas, the median daily temperature during these heatwaves typically reaches a high of about 33 °C.

While discussing the timeline of these climate shifts, Prof. Fung highlighted that the core heatwave season will extend significantly. By the 2040s, heatwaves will become more extensive, beginning as early as April, with extreme heat occurring on a near-daily basis between June and August in most years. By the 2090s, the main heatwave season will lengthen even further, extending to cover several days in September.

In Hong Kong’s hot and humid climate, Prof. Fung emphasized that the primary concern during heatwaves is the intensified heat stress on the human body—a critical risk that is only projected to worsen.

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