The rainstorm warning signals are a set of signals used in Hong Kong to alert the public about the occurrence of heavy rain which is likely to bring about major disruptions such as traffic congestion and floods. They also ensure a state of readiness within the essential services to deal with emergencies.
China is a mountainous country, which leads to rapid dissipation of cyclones that move inland as well as significant amounts of rain from those dissipating cyclones. Typhoon Nina in 1975 caused the collapse of two huge reservoirs and ten smaller dams when 1062 mm (41.81 inches) of rain fell in Henan Province during a 24‑hour period. Super Typhoon Carla was the wettest tropical cyclone on record for mainland China. Since 1957, there has been a downward trend in tropical cyclone rainfall for the country.
Typhoon Hagupit, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Nina, was a powerful cyclone that caused widespread destruction along its path in September 2008. The 21st depression, 14 tropical storm and 10th typhoon of the 2008 Pacific typhoon season, Hagupit developed from a tropical wave located a couple hundred miles east of the Marshall Islands on September 14. Moving generally north-west westwards towards the Philippines, the depression gradually intensified into a tropical storm the following day, and then into became a typhoon on September 22 off the northern coast of Luzon. Located within an environment conducive for strengthening, Hagupit rapidly strengthened to attain 10-min sustained winds of 165 kilometres per hour and 1-min sustained winds of 230 kilometres per hour. After making landfall in Guangdong province in China at peak intensity on September 23, Hagupit rapidly weakened over rugged terrain and dissipated on the 25th.
Typhoon Fanapi, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Inday, was a damaging and deadly typhoon that struck Taiwan and southeastern China in September 2010. It was the eleventh tropical storm and fourth typhoon of the very inactive season. The storm formed on September 14 east of the Philippines and moved slowly for several days, initially to the northwest, then curving to the northeast before turning westward due to a ridge to the north. During this time, Fanapi intensified to reach 10 minute maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h (109 mph). Fanapi made its first landfall on September 19 over Hualien, Taiwan, becoming the first typhoon to hit the island since Typhoon Morakot in August 2009. Later that day made a final landfall in Fujian, China. The storm dissipated on September 21 over southern China.
Li's field is a tongue-in-cheek conspiracy theory in Hong Kong over the existence of a force field that repels tropical cyclones from the city.
Typhoon Vicente, known in the Philippines as Tropical Depression Ferdie, was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the Chinese province of Guangdong since Hagupit in 2008, and was regarded as the strongest storm to affect Hong Kong and Macau in more than ten years. The eighth named storm and third typhoon of the 2012 Pacific typhoon season, Vicente began as a tropical depression on July 18, 2012 northeast of the Philippines. Vicente soon steadily moved into the South China Sea, and began to intensify above warm sea waters, and began explosive intensification early on July 23, and started to charge toward the Guangdong region prompting the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) to issue the Hurricane Signal, No. 10, the first since York in 1999. The Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau also hoisted Signal No. 9 for the first time since York and after the transfer of sovereignty over Macau. Late on the same day, Vicente made landfall over Taishan in Guangdong, China.
Typhoon Sally, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Maring, was an intense tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage across southeastern Asia, particularly in China, in September 1996. Forming well east of the Philippines on 5 September, Sally quickly intensified as it tracked westward within favorable conditions. The system reached tropical storm intensity several hours after tropical cyclogenesis was completed, and strengthened further into typhoon intensity the following day. On 7 September, Sally reached super typhoon status shortly before attaining its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 260 km/h (160 mph) and a barometric pressure of 940 mbar. Quickly moving across the South China Sea, Sally substantially weakened but remained a strong typhoon before making its first landfall on the Leizhou Peninsula on 9 September. The tropical cyclone's trek brought it briefly over the Gulf of Tonkin before making a final landfall near the border of China and Vietnam. The typhoon rapidly deteriorated inland and dissipated later that day.
Typhoon Ruby, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Yoning, was a strong tropical cyclone that struck Hong Kong, Macau, and southern China in early September 1964. The precursor disturbance to Ruby was first identified on August 29 over the Philippine Sea, and this system organised into a tropical cyclone by September 1. Ruby intensified as it moved west, becoming a typhoon the next day and subsequently passing over the Babuyan Islands of the Philippines. After reaching the South China Sea, Ruby turned northwest and intensified further, attaining peak ten-minute sustained winds of 195 km/h (121 mph) before making landfall at the peak intensity near Hong Kong on September 5. The typhoon weakened after moving inland and dissipated on September 6 over southeastern China.
Tropical Storm Kujira was a tropical cyclone that prompted the PAGASA to declare the beginning of the rainy season in the Philippines. The ninth tropical depression, 8th named storm, and first storm to make landfall on China in the 2015 Pacific typhoon season, it formed as a tropical depression south of the Paracel Islands on June 19.
A series of major landslides occurred in Hong Kong in June 1972. Several apartment complexes and houses were wiped out, and at least 156 people lost their lives. The landslides had been caused by waterlogged soils in the area, a result of Typhoon Rose bringing unusually heavy rainfall in August 1971 as well as heavy rainstorms hitting Hong Kong on the days preceding the landslides.
Typhoon Dot was a strong tropical cyclone that made landfalls on Luzon and near Hong Kong in October 1964. It was the fifth typhoon to impact Hong Kong during the active 1964 Pacific typhoon season, and prompted the issuance of the No. 10 typhoon signal from the Royal Observatory in Hong Kong—the highest warning possible. The storm's precursor disturbance formed west of Pohnpei on October 3 and tracked towards the west, becoming a tropical storm by October 6. Gradually strengthening, Dot moved towards the west-northwest, northwest, and then curved west, leading to a landfall at typhoon intensity on Luzon on October 9. A freighter with 32 crewmembers went missing west of the island after passing through the typhoon and was never recovered.
The June 2008 Hong Kong Rainstorm was a rainstorm in Hong Kong on 7 June 2008 that caused flooding and landslides. It resulted in 2 deaths and 16 injuries. The Hong Kong Observatory recorded 145.5mm of precipitation at its headquarters between 08:00 to 09:00, setting the 2nd highest one-hour precipitation record. A total of 307.1mm of precipitation was recorded during that day.
Typhoon Sarika, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Karen, was a powerful tropical cyclone which affected the Philippines, South China, and Vietnam in mid-October 2016. The twenty-first named storm and the tenth typhoon of the annual Pacific typhoon season, Sarika developed from a tropical disturbance east of the Philippines on October 13. The system steadily strengthened as it traveled westwards, becoming a tropical storm later that day and then a typhoon on October 15. Rapid intensification commenced as Sarika turned to the west-northwest towards Luzon, reaching its peak intensity just before making landfall in Aurora early on October 16. Sarika weakened significantly as it crossed land, emerging over the South China Sea as a minimal typhoon, then weakening further to a severe tropical storm on October 17. Sarika maintained its strength for the rest of the day and made landfall in Hainan province in China on October 18. Turning to the northwest, Sarika weakened quickly as it emerged into the Gulf of Tonkin, before moving onshore once again in Guangxi province on October 19. The system dissipated shortly after.
Tropical Storm Ewiniar was a tropical cyclone in early June 2018 that brought prolonged heavy rains to Vietnam and South China, causing damaging floods and landslides. The fourth named storm of the 2018 Pacific typhoon season, Ewiniar developed as a tropical depression just east of Vietnam on June 2. The system moved generally northwards over the South China Sea, before intensifying into a tropical storm near the Qiongzhou Strait on June 5. Ewiniar proceeded to stall over the region as steering currents collapsed, making landfall over the Leizhou Peninsula and later over northern Hainan. Ewiniar accelerated to the northeast on June 7 and moved back over open sea, allowing it to strengthen slightly and reach peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h (47 mph) and a central pressure of 998 hPa. The storm made landfall in eastern Guangdong shortly thereafter and weakened into a tropical depression on June 8. The system ultimately dissipated east of Taiwan on June 11.
Tropical Storm Bebinca was a weak but erratic and long-lived tropical cyclone that affected South China and Vietnam in mid-August 2018. Bebinca originated from a tropical depression over the South China Sea on August 9. Maintaining this intensity for a few days near the Guangdong coast, the system intensified into a tropical storm south of Jiangmen on August 13. The storm moved slowly to the east and then curved back on the next day, before making landfall in the Leizhou Peninsula on August 15. Bebinca crossed the Gulf of Tonkin and made landfall in Vietnam on August 16, before dissipated on the next day.
Severe Tropical Storm Durian was a deadly system that caused severe impacts in China and Vietnam. The seventh tropical depression and third named storm of the 2001 Pacific typhoon season, the storm was first noted on June 29 and quickly intensified into a tropical storm and given the name Durian by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Durian continued northwestward before intensifying into a severe tropical storm as it approached the Chinese coast. On July 1 just before landfall, Durian peaked in intensity, with the JMA estimating 10-min winds of 110 km/h (68 mph) and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) estimating 1-min winds of 140 km/h (87 mph). Durian made landfall on Zhanjiang at peak intensity, before quickly weakening over land and dissipating on July 3 over the mountains of Vietnam.
Severe Tropical Storm York, also known in the Philippines as Tropical Depression Neneng, was a tropical cyclone that formed in September 1999. It brought severe impacts to the Philippines and southeastern China, causing 35 deaths. York is considered the worst tropical cyclone to hit Hong Kong since 1983. York was first noted as a tropical disturbance over the Philippine Sea on September 9, 1999, and became a tropical depression three days later on September 12. Initially, the intensity of the system wasthat of a weak tropical depression, however it formed a new center while in the northern South China Sea west of Luzon the following day. Despite intensifying into a tropical storm the following day, York's track was erratic and remained stationary for a while, until it landfalled near Hong Kong as a minimal typhoon on September 16. York then weakened to a tropical storm and quickly degenerated into a remnant area of low pressure soon after on the following day.
Several floods struck China starting in July 2023, most of them caused by heavy rainfalls in different areas. The most notable floods were the 2023 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Heavy rain and Northeast china heavy rain, which left at least 81 dead and 34 missing.
Typhoon Saola, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Goring, was a powerful and erratic tropical cyclone that affected the Philippines, southern Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and South China. The name Saola, is in reference to a rare animal found in Vietnam. The ninth named storm, seventh typhoon, and third super typhoon of the 2023 typhoon season, Saola originated from an area of convection east of Taiwan and headed southwestwards.
Typhoon Haikui, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Hanna, was the first major storm to hit Taiwan since Megi in 2016 and the first typhoon to do so since Nesat in 2017. The eleventh tropical storm and eighth typhoon of the 2023 Pacific typhoon season, Haikui began its life as a broad low pressure area near the Northern Mariana Islands on August 27. The system intensified to a tropical storm the next day and was named Haikui by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), with the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) following suit shortly thereafter; PAGASA then named the same system as Hanna when it entered the Philippine area of responsibility. In the succeeding days, Haikui reached severe tropical storm strength and eventually became a typhoon, before making landfall near Taitung City, Taiwan on September 3.
