Hong Kong weather watchers cranked up the storm alerts Thursday morning as torrential downpours hammered the territory. The Observatory slapped residents with an Amber Rainstorm Warning before dawn, then bumped it up to Red status just one hour later. Officials warned that massive rainfall measuring over 50 millimeters per hour was already drenching the city or would strike very soon. Weather experts told everyone to brace for the deluge that was spreading across the entire region. The upgrade came as meteorologists tracked dangerous conditions moving through the area.
Education chiefs jumped into action and ordered schools to put emergency safety plans into motion immediately. Students already sitting in classrooms had to stay put until regular dismissal time, according to bureau bosses. Teachers received strict instructions to keep kids inside until weather conditions became safe enough for release. The same amber alert had actually hit the territory Wednesday evening before officials pushed it to red status around midnight. All warnings got the axe at 1:40 Thursday morning when conditions finally calmed down.
Forecasters pointed fingers at tropical cyclone Danas as the troublemaker behind the wild weather chaos. The storm system was crawling southwest through eastern Guangdong province and might scrape past Guangzhou city. Weather watchers said an active southwest monsoon was brewing trouble for the Pearl River Estuary area through Friday. The Observatory hinted they might roll out the Strong Monsoon Signal if local winds start acting up badly.
Education chiefs jumped into action and ordered schools to put emergency safety plans into motion immediately. Students already sitting in classrooms had to stay put until regular dismissal time, according to bureau bosses. Teachers received strict instructions to keep kids inside until weather conditions became safe enough for release. The same amber alert had actually hit the territory Wednesday evening before officials pushed it to red status around midnight. All warnings got the axe at 1:40 Thursday morning when conditions finally calmed down.
Forecasters pointed fingers at tropical cyclone Danas as the troublemaker behind the wild weather chaos. The storm system was crawling southwest through eastern Guangdong province and might scrape past Guangzhou city. Weather watchers said an active southwest monsoon was brewing trouble for the Pearl River Estuary area through Friday. The Observatory hinted they might roll out the Strong Monsoon Signal if local winds start acting up badly.
