Macau's Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) has issued its "very cold weather" Orange alert, forecasting that the mercury will drop to up to 6 degrees Celsius today.
The local observatory has a two-stage cold weather alert system. "Yellow" for "cold" and Orange for "very cold" weather.
"It is expected to be very cold in Macau today and tomorrow. The minimum temperature will drop to 8°C or below. The public should take precautions against the cold weather," the weather station said in a statement.
According to the SMG website, the mercury stood at 9°C at 11:30 a.m. today, when relative humidity amounted to 46%.
The weather station said that "members of the public should note the following:
1. Take precautions against the cold weather. Wear more clothes and keep indoors warm.
2. The very cold weather could easily trigger hypothermia, respiratory or cardiovascular diseases, especially among the elderly, children, pregnant women, and persons with chronic illnesses.
3. Use heaters with care and maintain indoor ventilation.
4. Consult social welfare services if necessary."
Historically, the local weather station recorded Macau's lowest temperature of −1.8°C on January 26, 1948, according to official data.
Meanwhile, the observatory has also issued its "Strong Monsoon Signal" ("Black Ball").
The weather station warned that a winter monsoon is affecting the weather in Macau: "Very cold and dry. Cloudy apart from sunny intervals. Force 4 to 6 northerly winds with gusts. The temperature will range between 6°C and 11°C. Relative humidity will range between 35% and 70%. Maximum UV index is expected to be 5, which is classified as Moderate."
On Christmas Day (Sunday) and Boxing Day (Monday), the observatory forecasts the mercury to range between 7-14°C and 8-16°C, respectively.
Despite being located south of the Tropic of Cancer, Macau has a humid subtropical climate that is characteristic of southern China. Macau's subtropical winter runs between November and February.
