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JANUARY

Temperature

January is one of the mildest months in Hong Kong.  It\'s also the coldest, but it\'s not even that cold.  Average temperatures don\'t fluctuate very much, and that will make packing for your stay much easier.  The average temperature is 16°C, with daytime highs averaging 18°C and nighttime lows averaging 13°C.  The coldest days will be towards the middle of the month.

Hong Kong has been experiencing some extreme temperature swings though.  The observatory in Hong Kong recorded -1°C at the end of January 2018.  One year prior, in 2017, Hong Kong recorded a record high temperature of a warm 25°C.

Rain

In addition to being the coldest month, January is also the driest month.  This makes January perfect for exploring all of Hong Kong\'s outdoor attractions.  You\'ll be able to leave all of your heavy raingear at home.  There are on average six days of precipitation in January, with rainfall totals averaging just 21mm.  The rains are rarely heavy.  Precipitation does start to pick up towards the end of the month and going into February. 

The last time it snowed in Hong Kong was 1975.

Sunshine Hours

Hong Kong sees an average of five hours of sunlight per day in January.  Frontal systems start to come in during this time of year, so the chances of cloud cover increase as the month goes on.  The beginning of the month is often the clearest, with clear to partly cloudy skies 72% of that time.  That number decreases to 66% by the end of the month.  Daylight lasts for, on average, 11 hours during January.

Humidity

January is the end of the \"dry season\" in Hong Kong.  Relative humidity averages 73% for the month of January.  It is usually drier in the beginning of the month, around 69%, and more humid towards the end of the month, up to 80%.  If you don\'t like sticky skin, January is the best time to visit Hong Kong.  Stay away from August.

Wind

The wind remains a fairly constant 5.5m/s throughout the month of January, coming from the east-northeast.  Gusts are rare.  Average winds are stronger in the beginning of the month and drop off towards the end of the month, but the differences are so insignificant that they are not worth noting.

Dress Code

January is a great time to visit Hong Kong.  You\'ll want to bring long pants and long-sleeve shirts for the day, and a coat for night.  Check the weather before you go, as Hong Kong has recently had some drastic temperature swings during the month of January.  It\'s always a good idea to have raingear with you, but you won\'t need anything heavy with the normally dry days seen in January.

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FEBRUARY

Temperature

Hong Kong starts to warm up in February with the coldest temperatures behind in January, but it can still get chilly.  Average temperatures still have a fairly small range, much like January.  The average temperature for the month is 18°C.  Daytime averages are near 20°C while nighttime temperatures fall to near 15°C.

The temperature is fairly constant throughout the month; lows on February 1st average 14°C while lows at the end of the month only increase to 16°C.

Rain

Chances of rain start to increase in February, almost double that of the probability of rain in January.  February averages nine rainy days throughout the month, with rainfall totals of approximately 33mm.  There have been instances, however, when rainfall exceeded 126mm in February.  You still won\'t need to pack your heavy raingear yet, though it\'s a small possibility. It hasn\'t snowed in Hong Kong since 1975.

Sunshine Hours

February in Hong Kong is characterized by increasing cloud cover.  There are on average only four hours of sunshine in Hong Kong in February, the lowest of the year.  That number doesn\'t start to pick up again until May.  Skies are mostly cloudy or overcast 37% of the time in February, with cloud cover increasing as the month progresses.

\"Daytime\" still lasts close to 12 hours by the end of the month.

Humidity

Humidity levels start to rapidly increase throughout February, averaging 80% relative humidity during the month.  The increase does start to level off towards the end of the month, and relative humidity doesn\'t increase very much after that until the end of summer.

February is still much more comfortable than July and August because of the cooler temperatures, so it won\'t feel as muggy.

Wind

Wind speeds don\'t fluctuate much throughout February, averaging 5.3m/s.  Winds are predominantly out of the east, with some variances north of east and, rarely, south of east.

Dress Code

If you don\'t mind the cloudy skies, February is still a great time to visit Hong Kong with the cooler temperatures and fairly dry skies.  Always be sure to check the weather first.  But as a general rule, you\'ll be safe with long pants and a long-sleeve shirt, and a light coat for nighttime outings.  It wouldn\'t be a bad idea to bring an umbrella or light raincoat either.

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OCTOBER

Temperature

Hong Kong experiences a nice cooling down in October.  If summer was too much for you, fall is a wonderful season in Hong Kong.  The average monthly temperature is 26°C, though the end of the month is much cooler.  Daytime temperatures start out at 30°C but cool off to 27°C by the end of the month.  Night temperatures average a pleasant 23°C.

Rain

October is considerably drier than the previous months.  On average it only rains for 8 days in October, yielding rainfall totals of only 41mm. Typhoon season is not quite over, however.  The mean occurrence of a tropical cyclone hitting Hong Kong in October is 0.9, so you can expect some kind of activity, much more so in the beginning of the month.  This is when the rains will fall, and expect winds to increase also.

Sunshine Hours

The days in Hong Kong last almost 12 hours in the beginning of the month and shorten to just over 11 hours at the end of the month.  Expect to see the sun for an average of six hours per day.  The chances of an overcast or mostly cloudy sky are 56% in the beginning of October, tapering off to 40% towards the end of the month.  Otherwise, the skies are mostly clear or partly cloudy.

Humidity

The average relative humidity drops to a tolerable 73% in October, helped out by decreasing rainfall and temperatures.  October will still feel humid, just not nearly as bad as the summer months.  Still, if you don\'t like humid conditions at all, you\'re best visiting Hong Kong in winter.

Wind

Winds continue to pick up in speed from their increase in September, averaging 5.3m/s and reaching an average of 5.6m/s by the end of the month.  Winds are almost completely out of the east in October, with some periods of more northerly winds.

Dress Code

Depending on when you visit in October - check the fourteen-day forecast first – you\'ll have to pack differently.  October can still feel warm and humid, so you\'re best off bringing loose, light, comfortable clothing for exploring Hong Kong\'s many attractions.  Shorts and sandals are fine for most establishments.  Make sure you bring long pants or a dress for dinner, as many restaurants require nicer dress.  And don\'t forget that Hong Kong loves air conditioning, so you may even want a light coat or jacket for indoors.  As temperatures cool down towards the end of the month you may want to take that into consideration.

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NOVEMBER

Temperature

November temperatures in Hong Kong are very pleasant and make this month a great time to visit.  The average monthly temperature is only 22°C, which is cool by Hong Kong standards.  Daytime temperatures average 24°C and nights cool down to a mild 19°C.

Rain

November is one of the driest months of the year with rainfall totals down to 22mm.  On average it rains six days out of the month.  For comparison, January is the driest month of the year with a close 21mm of rain. Tropical cyclone season is more or less over, though they have been known to pop up in November every now and then.  Still, it\'s not something you should have to worry about.

Sunshine Hours

Daylight lasts for close to 11 hours in November.  With some cloud cover thrown in, expect to receive an average of six hours of sun per day.  November sees a 40% chance of overcast or mostly cloudy skies in the beginning of the month, decreasing to 31% at the end of the month.

Humidity

The humidity levels are very bearable in Hong Kong in November, especially towards December.  The average relative humidity is 71%, and with cool temperatures you should be quite comfortable.

Wind

Wind speed averages 5.7m/s through the month of November, increasing towards the end of the month.  Winds are mostly out of the east, with some periods of northerly winds.

Dress Code

The weather in Hong Kong in November makes packing easy.  You won\'t need to beat the heat, and you won\'t be freezing either.  Still, due to variations in weather patterns, check the fourteen-day forecast right before you go to Hong Kong.  You can still wear shorts and sandals for exploring the city and outlying islands, and it\'s a good idea to bring some comfortable long pants and shoes if it cools down and for night.  If you plan on eating dinner out at Hong Kong\'s many restaurants, it\'s a smart idea to bring some nicer pants and a button-down shirt for the men and a dress for the women, with a light jacket or pullover for the cooler evenings.

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DECEMBER

Temperature

Hong Kong cools down considerably in December, though it\'s not the coldest month of the year.  The coldest month is January, but it\'s only colder by a couple of degrees.  The average monthly temperature for December is 17°C and you\'ll find locals bundled up quite a bit with that mild temperature.  Daytime temperatures average 20°C and nights cool down to 14°C.  It has been known to reach as high as 26°C and as low as 10°C in December.

Rain

December is one of the driest months of the year, together with November and January.  December rainfall totals average 21mm, which is the same as January.  It only rains for an average of four days during the month of December in Hong Kong. The chances of a tropical cyclone hitting Hong Kong in December aren\'t quite zero, but they\'re so rare this month that it shouldn\'t be of concern.

Sunshine Hours

December has the shortest days of the year, at just less than 11 hours long.  Chances of overcast or mostly cloudy skies average near 30% the entire month.  With this you\'ll receive an average of six hours of sun per day in Hong Kong in December.

Humidity

December has the lowest humidity of the year, averaging 69% relative humidity.  This makes December a great time to visit for those who can\'t stand sticky skin and thick, damp air.  The beginning of the month may feel slightly more humid, but overall the entire month is very comfortable.

Wind

December is the windiest month of the year as far as historical data is concerned, averaging 5.9m/s for most of the month with a gradual tapering off towards January.  Winds are predominately out of the northeast.

Dress Code

Take a look at the fourteen-day forecast before you start packing for a better idea of what to expect.  In general, you\'re best off packing some comfortable long pants for city exploration, with something a bit nicer for dinners in Hong Kong\'s many fancy restaurants.  You may want a light pullover or light coat for late in the evening when the air starts to cool.  Some restaurants don\'t allow shorts or sandals.