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Meteorological Services
Responsible meteorological offices
The Hong Kong Observatory, a department of the Hong Kong government, operates the Airport Meteorological Office (AMO).
Observing systems and operating procedures
Anemometers record surface wind speeds. Laser ceilographs measure cloud base. Transmissometers measure RVR and visibility. A WTWS monitors low-level wind shear and turbulence within 3nm of each runway threshold.
RVR reports are according to this scale:
- 50m to 400m at increments of 25m;
- 400m to 800m at increments of 50m;
- 800m to 1,500m at increments of 100m.
Types of services
Flight documentation is provided 2 hours before departure on the AMIDS. The documentation normally consists of aerodrome forecasts, reports (METAR and SPECI), SIGMETs, and prognostic charts.
For long haul flights, high level significant weather (SWH) prognostic charts and wind/temp charts from world area forecast centres (WAFCs) are supplied. A medium level significant weather (SWM) prognostic chart from the AMO plus SWMs from WAFCs are also supplied for ETOPS flights.
VOLMET service
| Station | Frequency | Broadcast Period | Aerodromes |
| Hong Kong | 128.875 MHz | Continuous | Shenzhen, Macao, Taipei, Gaoxiong |
| Hong Kong (Cape D'Aguilar NDB) | 338 KHz | H+15 to H+20, H+45 to H+50 | Hong Kong International, Guangzhou/Baiyun, Naha, Taibei International, Gaoxiong, Manila International, Mactan |
| Hong Kong | 2863 KHz, 6679 KHz, 8828 KHz, 13282 KHz | H+15 to H+20, H+45 to H+50 |
SIGMET service
The AMO issues SIGMET information whenever any of the following are occurring or are expected to occur (FL90 or above):
- Obscured thunderstorms with/without hail
- Embedded thunderstorms with/without hail
- Frequent thunderstorms with/without hail
- Squall line thunderstorms with/without hail
- Tropical cyclone with 10 minute mean surface wind speed of 34 kt or more
- Severe turbulence
- Severe icing
- Severe icing (due to freezing rain)
- Severe mountain wave
- Heavy sandstorm
- Heavy duststorm
- Volcanic ash
- Radioactive cloud
Tropical cyclones and strong monsoon winds
| Signals | Meaning |
| No. 1 (Standby) | cyclone within 800km / 432nm of Hong Kong |
| No. 2 (Strong Wind) | winds expected or blowing 22-33kt, gusts may exceed 59kt |
| No. 8 NW/SW/NE/SE (Gale or Storm) | winds expected or blowing 34-63kt, gusts may exceed 97kt |
| No. 9 (Increasing Gale or Storm) | increasing or expected to increase in strength |
| No. 10 (Hurricane) | winds expected or blowing upwards of 64kt, gusts may exceed 119kt |
Table: Tropical cyclone warning signals
References
- AIP GEN 3.5