The Hong Kong Observatory says a exceptionally strong El Nino event pushed October 2026 temperatures to their highest levels since records began in 1884, with warm conditions expected to persist into early next year.

HONG KONG: Record October heat in Hong Kong was exacerbated by a “very strong” El Nino that could persist into next year, the city’s meteorological agency said in a report Tuesday.

The Hong Kong Observatory had previously reported a monthly mean temperature of 27.6C — 1.9C higher than normal and a 0.2C increase from last year’s already record-breaking figure for the same month.

“Set against the backdrop of climate warming and a very strong El Nino event that may persist into early next year, October 2026 was unseasonably warm in Hong Kong,” the observatory said in statement on Tuesday.