Is It Monsoon in Hong Kong, City-States? Rainfall and Weather by Month

Hong Kong, City-States JANUARY
17°
Shoulder season
14° to 19°
Mild & Dry
Very mild and comparatively dry, though cloud and wind can pick up at times.
🧥 Light jacket💨 Windy conditions
18°
Shoulder season
15° to 21°
Cloudier Winter
Still mild, but the sky turns cloudier and drizzlier than January.
🧥 Light jacket☔ Umbrella handy
20°
Peak season
18° to 23°
Best Window Begins
Part of the source's own best window from mid-month onward, though a cold wind can still blow early on.
🧥 Light layers☔ Umbrella handy
24°
Shoulder season
21° to 27°
Pleasantly Warm
Mild to warm, still cloudy, with the first thunderstorms of the year building.
☔ Light rain jacket🌤️ Variable skies
27°
Shoulder season
24° to 30°
Hot & Sultry
Increasingly hot and muggy, with rain becoming a significant presence.
☔ Umbrella essential🥵 Heat protection
29°
Off-peak season
27° to 32°
Wettest Month
The rainiest month of the year, hot and humid with heavy showers and thunderstorms.
☔ Heavy rain gear🌀 Typhoon season
30°
Off-peak season
27° to 33°
Hottest Month
The hottest month of the year, though there's often a week or two of better weather within it.
☔ Heavy rain gear🌀 Typhoon season
30°
Off-peak season
27° to 33°
Very Wet
Nearly as hot and wet as July, with typhoon risk continuing.
☔ Heavy rain gear🌀 Typhoon season
29°
Shoulder season
26° to 32°
Still Wet
Still hot and rainy, though slightly less than mid-summer.
☔ Umbrella essential🌀 Typhoon season
27°
Peak season
24° to 29°
Best Window Returns
Rain becomes rare and the sun more frequent, though a typhoon can still arrive early in the month.
☀️ Sunscreen✨ Best sightseeing weather
23°
Peak season
20° to 26°
Pleasant & Cooling
Generally pleasant, though cool, windy days become more likely, especially later in the month.
🧥 Light layers☀️ Sunscreen
18°
Shoulder season
16° to 22°
Driest Month
The driest month of the year, mild with sunshine roughly half the time.
🧥 Light jacket☀️ Sunscreen
Drag through the year Jan
Jan
Feb
⭐️
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
⭐️
Oct
⭐️
Nov
Dec
This month
Rainfall
36 mm
6 rainy days this month
Sunshine
4.5 hrs/day
35% of daylight hours
Humidity
67%
Comfortably humid
Wind
22 km/h
Noticeable breeze
Rainfall
41 mm
8 rainy days this month
Sunshine
3.5 hrs/day
27% of daylight hours
Humidity
72%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
20 km/h
Noticeable breeze
Rainfall
76 mm
10 rainy days this month
Sunshine
3 hrs/day
23% of daylight hours
Humidity
75%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
18 km/h
Noticeable breeze
Rainfall
155 mm
11 rainy days this month
Sunshine
4 hrs/day
31% of daylight hours
Humidity
76%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
16 km/h
Noticeable breeze
Rainfall
290 mm
15 rainy days this month
Sunshine
4.5 hrs/day
35% of daylight hours
Humidity
76%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
14 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
490 mm
19 rainy days this month
Sunshine
5 hrs/day
38% of daylight hours
Humidity
76%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
14 km/h
Light, barely noticeable
Rainfall
386 mm
18 rainy days this month
Sunshine
6.5 hrs/day
50% of daylight hours
Humidity
75%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
16 km/h
Noticeable breeze
Rainfall
455 mm
18 rainy days this month
Sunshine
6 hrs/day
46% of daylight hours
Humidity
75%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
16 km/h
Noticeable breeze
Rainfall
320 mm
15 rainy days this month
Sunshine
6 hrs/day
46% of daylight hours
Humidity
71%
Air feels heavy and sticky
Wind
16 km/h
Noticeable breeze
Rainfall
119 mm
8 rainy days this month
Sunshine
6.5 hrs/day
50% of daylight hours
Humidity
64%
Comfortably humid
Wind
18 km/h
Noticeable breeze
Rainfall
41 mm
6 rainy days this month
Sunshine
5.5 hrs/day
42% of daylight hours
Humidity
64%
Comfortably humid
Wind
20 km/h
Noticeable breeze
Rainfall
30 mm
5 rainy days this month
Sunshine
5 hrs/day
38% of daylight hours
Humidity
62%
Comfortably humid
Wind
22 km/h
Noticeable breeze
★★★ peak season, ★★☆ decent shoulder months, ★☆☆ true off-peak, based on rain frequency, heat, and haze.
Seasons at a glance
🌟
Peak season: Mar, Oct, Nov
Hong Kong's best windows, by the source's own account. Mid-March to mid-April and mid-October to late November see less rain and more sun than the depths of winter, even though winter is technically drier still.
🌤️
Shoulder season: Jan, Feb, Apr, May, Sep, Dec
This tier spans January, February, April, May, September, and December, winter's mild but increasingly cloudy stretch, and the edges of spring and autumn just outside the two named best windows.
Off-peak season: Jun, Jul, Aug
The long, hot, muggy summer. June through August sees the heaviest rain and highest typhoon risk of the year, with June historically the wettest month.
Good to know
🌆
The urban heat island effect is real here
Dense high-rise development amplifies the summer heat in built-up areas, part of why air conditioning is so widely used across the city.
🥶
Winter can occasionally turn genuinely cold
In January 2016, temperatures briefly dropped to 3°C in the city and to -6°C on Tai Mo Shan, the highest hill at 957 meters, an unusually cold event for Hong Kong.
🌀
Typhoons typically run June to early November
Though most typhoons affect Hong Kong within this window, out-of-season storms have occurred, including Typhoon Neoguri in April 2008 and Typhoon Chanchu in May 2006.
🌊
The sea is swimmable from April to November
Water temperatures become definitely warm from May through October and only dip to a cool, not cold, 20°C in January and February.
🏙️
Part of the Pearl River Delta megacity region
Hong Kong sits alongside Guangzhou and Shenzhen in one of the largest urban areas in the world, overlooking the South China Sea.
Top attractions
1
Victoria Peak
Hong Kong's highest point on Hong Kong Island, reached by tram, with sweeping views over the harbor and skyline.
2
Victoria Harbour & Star Ferry
The iconic harbor separating Hong Kong Island from Kowloon, crossed by the historic Star Ferry since 1888.
3
Tian Tan Buddha
A large bronze Buddha statue on Lantau Island, reached by cable car through the hills above Ngong Ping village.
Frequently asked questions
When is monsoon season in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong's rainy season historically runs from May through September, with June the wettest month and typhoon risk highest from June to early November.
What is the best time of year to visit Hong Kong?
Mid-March to mid-April and mid-October to late November are historically the best windows, with less rain and more sun than the rest of the year.
What is the least favorable time to visit Hong Kong?
June through August is historically the hottest, wettest, and most typhoon-prone stretch of the year.
Which month has the most rain in Hong Kong?
June is historically the wettest month, averaging around 490mm of rain.
Which month is the driest in Hong Kong?
December is historically the driest month, averaging around 30mm of rain.
How hot does Hong Kong get?
July is historically the hottest month on average, with a record high of 37.5°C.
Does Hong Kong get cold in winter?
Winter is generally very mild, though it can occasionally turn cold: in January 2016, temperatures briefly dropped to 3°C in the city.
What should I pack for Hong Kong in summer?
Lightweight, tropics-friendly clothing, a light sweatshirt for heavily air-conditioned indoor spaces, and a light raincoat or umbrella for sudden downpours.
Does Hong Kong get typhoons?
Yes, typically from June to early November, though out-of-season storms have occurred, including Typhoon Neoguri in April 2008 and Typhoon Chanchu in May 2006.
Is the sea warm enough to swim in Hong Kong?
Yes, from around April through November, and definitely warm from May through October, while winter sea temperatures stay a cool but not cold 20°C.