Macao’s mercury plummeted to a new low this winter. The Taipa Grande measuring station recorded a temperature of 9.4°C at 7 am today, roughly 6°C lower than yesterday morning.
It was an equally brisk 9.8°C at Dr Sun Yat Sen Park and 9.9°C at Fortaleza do Monte as well.
As of writing, the yellow cold weather alert remained in effect, with the local weather forecaster noting that “it is expected to be cold in Macao continuously in the next couple of days” due to the impact of a “winter monsoon [that] is affecting the [city’s] weather.”
Macao authorities opened the winter shelter in Ilha Verde yesterday, offering blankets, food and drinks to help residents stay warm.
A strong monsoon signal is also currently active, meaning that wind speeds could reach up to 41 kilometres per hour. The weather bureau is advising motorists to be wary of the stronger winds, particularly motorcyclists, who are advised to take the Sai Van or Macau Bridge rather than the Amizade Bridge.
[See more: Macao braces for a chilly stat to the Lunar New Year]
In the days ahead, Macao’s climate should remain cool, with minimums of 10°C and 11°C on Tuesday and Wednesday. After that, the mercury is expected to climb gradually. On Thursday, expect temperatures between 13°C and 19°C, and 15°C and 20°C on Friday.
In a statement issued Friday, the weather bureau also reminded residents to be wary of fire hazards during the Chinese New Year, as the air is expected to be “extremely dry,” with humidity dropping to 30 percent or lower between today and Wednesday.
