With a stronger than usual subtropical ridge dominating over southern China for most of the time in the month, July 2024 was exceptionally hot in Hong Kong. The monthly mean minimum temperature of 28.0 degrees, monthly mean temperature of 29.9 degrees and monthly mean maximum temperature of 32.4 degrees were respectively 1.1 degrees, 1.0 degrees and 0.8 degrees above their normals and respectively one of the third, the fourth and one of the ninth highest on record for July. The monthly rainfall was 458.5 millimetres, about 19 per cent above the normal of 385.8 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first seven months of the year was 1 321.9 millimetres, about 10 per cent below the normal figure of 1 468.2 millimetres for the same period.
 
     Under the influence of a southwesterly airstream, there were sunny intervals and a few showers in Hong Kong on the first two days of the month. With the dominance of the subtropical ridge, apart from a few showers and isolated thunderstorms, there was a spell of generally fine and very hot weather in Hong Kong from July 3 to 11. The daily mean temperature of 30.8 degrees and daily minimum temperature of 29.2 degrees on July 6 were both the highest on record for Moderate Heat. Moreover, the daily maximum temperature of 34.0 degrees on the same day was one of the highest on record for Moderate Heat. With plenty of sunshine, the temperature at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 34.8 degrees on the afternoon of July 7, the highest of the month. Furthermore, it was extremely hot on the afternoons of July 7 and 10, with maximum temperatures reaching 35 degrees or above in many places. With the slight weakening of the subtropical ridge, there were generally more showers from July 12 to 14. Despite the extremely hot weather on July 14, heavy showers and squally thunderstorms affected Hong Kong that evening. Over 50 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over Kwai Tsing and parts of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.
 
     Under the influence of a broad trough of low pressure over the South China Sea, local weather was a mixture of sunny intervals, showers and squally thunderstorms from July 15 to 19. More than 70 millimetres of rainfall were generally recorded over most parts of the territory, and rainfall even exceeded 140 millimetres over Sha Tin, Wong Tai Sin and Kowloon City Districts on these five days. Under the rain, the temperature at the Observatory dropped to a minimum of 26.0 degrees on July 16, the lowest of the month. While Hong Kong was still affected by a few showers and isolated thunderstorms on July 20, the weather improved, with very hot weather and sunny intervals under the influence of the subtropical ridge.
 
     Meanwhile, the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone to the south of the subtropical ridge became active and favoured the formation of tropical cyclones. An area of low pressure over the central part of the South China Sea intensified into a tropical depression on the afternoon of July 19 and tracked west-northwestwards towards Hainan Island. The tropical depression intensified into a tropical storm and was named Prapiroon on the morning of July 21. Prapiroon further intensified and moved across Hainan Island and Beibu Wan July 21 and 22. It then moved into the inland areas of the northern part of Vietnam and progressively weakened into an area of low pressure on July 23. The outer rainbands of Prapiroon brought a few squally showers and thunderstorms to Hong Kong on July 21. With Prapiroon departing from Hong Kong, it was very hot with sunny periods during the day on July 22.
 
     Moreover, another area of low pressure over the seas east of the Philippines intensified into a tropical depression on July 19. It intensified into a tropical storm and was named Gaemi on July 20. Gaemi progressively intensified into a super typhoon during the next four days and headed towards Taiwan. Moving generally northwestwards, Gaemi swept across Taiwan and then Fujian on July 25. It then moved into the inland areas of eastern China and central China, and weakened into an area of low pressure over Hubei on July 28. Under the influence of the outer subsiding air of Gaemi, local weather was very hot with sunny periods from July 23 to 25. The daily minimum temperatures of 29.1 degrees and 29.7 degrees at Ta Kwu Ling and Sheung Shui respectively on July 25 were the highest on record for those stations. Affected by an active southwest monsoon over the South China Sea, local winds strengthened later on July 25 and at first on July 26. As well, the thundery showers triggered by high temperatures affected Hong Kong on the early morning of July 26. More than 60 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over the northern part of the New Territories.
 
     Affected by an active southwest monsoon and the subsequent broad trough of low pressure over the northern part of the South China Sea, it was mainly cloudy with occasional heavy showers and squally thunderstorms from July 27 to 31. More than 150 millimetres of rainfall were generally recorded over most parts of the territory, and rainfall even exceeded 250 millimetres over parts of the eastern territory on these five days.
 
     Three tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in July 2024.
 
     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for July are tabulated in Table 2.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (August 2) issued invitations to the operators of 11 selected red minibus (RMB) routes meeting specific conditions, to apply for conversion to green minibus (GMB) route operations (the Scheme) by October 31.
 
     Applicants are required to submit the completed application form and required documents to the TD. The TD will examine each application received to ensure that the route operator concerned complies with the Conditions for the Operation of Public Light Bus (Scheduled) Service, including hiring drivers to operate the routes concerned, and that its daily operations and fares are subject to the TD for approval and monitoring. The processing of the applications is expected to be completed by end-2024.
 
     It has been the Government's established policy to encourage the conversion of RMBs to GMBs to ensure the service quality of public light buses through more effective monitoring. The TD now invites operators of the RMB routes which have participated in the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities, and have met the specific conditions to apply for direct conversion of the RMB routes to GMB route operations. The specific conditions of the Scheme include: the RMB routes selected should have at least five years of service, the vehicles of the route operate only on that single route and provide daily and whole-day service, and the route concerned is operated by a single operator.
 
     The TD has consulted the public light bus trades extensively for their views on the Scheme in late May this year, and the trades generally supported the Scheme with positive feedback.
 
     The TD will hold a briefing on August 12 for the operators of the 11 selected RMB routes on the Scheme’s details, which have been uploaded to the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/public_transport/minibuses/rtg/index.html) for reference.

     Police today (August 2) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Wong Tai Sin.

     Ng Yun-ki, aged 30, went missing after she left her residence in Tsz Ching Estate on June 4. Her family made a report to Police yesterday (August 1).

     She is about 1.6 metres tall, 55 kilograms in weight and of normal build. She has a square face with yellow complexion and long purple and blue hair.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0331 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     The Transport Department (TD) announced that the works for diagonal crossings at the junction of Carnarvon Road and Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui have been completed, and the crossings are open for use today (August 2). This is the second trial location under the trial scheme for diagonal crossings, following the one at the junction of Sha Kok Street and Yat Tai Street in Sha Tin.
      
     The trial scheme provides additional pedestrian crossings through the centre of appropriate junctions to give pedestrians the option to take a diagonal route to cross the road directly to the footpath on the other side, shortening the walking distance and time required. As the traffic flow at junctions in Hong Kong is relatively heavy, the characteristics of individual junctions, including factors such as traffic and pedestrian flows, the crossing distance and time required, need to be carefully examined during the selection of suitable junctions for trial, to ensure that adequate vehicular capacity can still be maintained at signalised junctions after the provision of diagonal crossings to avoid causing serious impact on the overall traffic.
      
     The overall operation of the diagonal crossings at the trial in Sha Tin has been smooth to date. The TD will continue to carefully observe the operation of the two trial locations in Sha Tin and Tsim Sha Tsui, with a view to formulating a design standard for diagonal crossings suitable for the traffic conditions and pedestrians in Hong Kong.

  

     â€‹The Environment and Ecology Bureau today (August 2) announced its approval of the 41st batch of applications for the trials of green transport technologies under the New Energy Transport Fund.

     The Steering Committee of the Fund has adopted a new merit-based approach to assess applications for funding with a view to making the best use of the Fund and taking into account factors including the latest technology developments. The five approved applications in this batch (see Annex) are for the trials of two electric light goods vehicles (non-van type) and four electric medium goods vehicles, involving a total subsidy of $4.84 million.

     The latest approval brings the total number of trials pursued or being pursued under the Fund to 307, with a total subsidy of about $261 million. As at end-July 2024, a total of 193 approved trials under the Fund have been completed. Trial reports have been uploaded to the Fund's website.

     The trial scheme on e-taxi charging facilities, the subsidy strategies for e-taxis and electric franchised buses, the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong and the subsidy scheme for trials of hydrogen fuel-cell heavy vehicles were also discussed by the Steering Committee. Members have provided valuable comments. The Secretariat of the Fund as well as other relevant government bureaux and departments will follow up on the suggestions with a view to launching the relevant schemes as early as possible.

     The Government put in place the Fund in March 2011 to subsidise the testing, and encourage the wider use, of green transport technologies for a variety of commercial transport tools including goods vehicles (including special-purpose vehicles), taxis, light buses, buses, vessels, motorcycles, non-road vehicles (applicable to vehicle models approved by the Transport Department or the Airport Authority Hong Kong), or the aforesaid transport tools of charitable/non-profit making organisations providing services to their clients. The technologies to be subsidised include new energy vehicles or vessels, conversion of in-use conventional vehicles or vessels to new energy vehicles or vessels, and after-treatment emission reduction devices or fuel-saving devices applicable to vehicles and vessels. Transport operators and charitable/non-profit making organisations may apply for trying out different green technology products subject to a maximum subsidy of $10 million for each application and a total of $12 million for each applicant.

     For more information on the Fund and the approved applications, please visit the website of the Fund (www.eeb.gov.hk/en/new-energy-transport-fund.html) or call the enquiry hotline on 2824 0022.