In a rare weather event, a waterspout was spotted in Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on Saturday, the first such sighting since the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) began keeping records in 1959.
Videos circulating online showed a swirling column of water, seemingly connecting the sky with the harbor. The weather phenomenon appeared around noon local time.
“At the time that the waterspout was observed, if we look at the radar imagery of the Hong Kong Observatory, we had a rain area right in Victoria Harbour, and that rain area is also a thunderstorm bearing,” said Leung Wing-mo, a former assistant director at the HKO who is now a spokesman for the Meteorological Society.
Leung explained that the occurrence of a waterspout depends on various factors, including the location of a thundercloud, humidity, and atmospheric conditions. He noted that only a few waterspouts had been seen in Hong Kong over the past 60 years.
“If it occurred over land, then probably we’d have a tornado,” Leung said. “We have a thunderstorm cloud right over Victoria Harbour, then we have a waterspout.”
The Observatory also warned that strong gusts were affecting Hong Kong and advised people to seek shelter.
Waterspouts, which are relatively uncommon in the region, are spinning columns of air and water mist that form over a body of water. They are typically less intense than their land-based counterparts, tornadoes, but can still pose a threat to boats and coastal areas.
The rare sighting of a waterspout in Hong Kong’s bustling harbor has captured the attention of residents and weather enthusiasts alike, serving as a reminder of the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the city’s weather patterns.
