In this guide
💡 The Short Version: October to December is the usual answer. In the Hong Kong Observatory’s 1991 to 2020 averages, November has a mean daily maximum of 24.5 degrees, 72% relative humidity and 39.3 mm of rain, against 31.6 degrees and 385.8 mm in July (Hong Kong Observatory). June to September is hot and wet, and typhoon season runs from May to November, though Signal No. 8 or higher averages only 2.43 days a year. January and February are cool and dry, and Lunar New Year’s Day 2027 is Saturday 6 February (GovHK). Spring is the humid, cloudy one: March and April run at 82% to 83% humidity.
Weather by month
Averages for 1991 to 2020 from the Hong Kong Observatory, recorded at its Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters. The weather and typhoons guide has sunshine hours and the typhoon figures.
| Month | Mean daily max / min | Rain (mm) | Rain days | Humidity | On in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18.7 / 14.6°C | 33.2 | 5.7 | 74% | New Year’s Day 1 Jan |
| February | 19.4 / 15.3°C | 38.9 | 8.0 | 79% | Lunar New Year, 6 Feb; holidays 6, 8, 9 Feb |
| March | 21.9 / 17.6°C | 75.3 | 10.5 | 82% | Art Basel Hong Kong 25 to 27 Mar; Good Friday 26 Mar, 27 Mar, Easter Monday 29 Mar |
| April | 25.6 / 21.1°C | 153.0 | 11.4 | 83% | Ching Ming Festival 5 Apr |
| May | 28.8 / 24.5°C | 290.6 | 15.4 | 83% | Labour Day 1 May; Buddha’s Birthday 13 May |
| June | 30.7 / 26.5°C | 491.5 | 19.3 | 82% | Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat) Festival 9 Jun |
| July | 31.6 / 26.9°C | 385.8 | 18.4 | 81% | SAR Establishment Day 1 Jul |
| August | 31.3 / 26.7°C | 453.2 | 17.5 | 81% | Summer Fun, June to August; most Signal No. 8 days of the year |
| September | 30.5 / 26.1°C | 321.4 | 14.9 | 78% | Mid-Autumn Festival, 15 Sep; holiday 16 Sep |
| October | 28.1 / 23.9°C | 120.3 | 7.8 | 73% | National Day 1 Oct; Chung Yeung 8 Oct; Wine & Dine Festival |
| November | 24.5 / 20.3°C | 39.3 | 5.7 | 72% | No general holiday |
| December | 20.4 / 16.2°C | 28.8 | 5.3 | 70% | WinterFest; Christmas Day 25 Dec, 27 Dec |
Public holidays are from the government’s list of 2027 general holidays.
By season
The Dragon’s Back ridge trail on Hong Kong Island. Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Autumn, October to December: rain falls from 120.3 mm in October to 28.8 mm in December, and humidity from 73% to 70%. October has the most sunshine of the year at 197.8 hours. It is the season for walking and hiking, for example the Central to Sheung Wan walk and the Tsim Sha Tsui to West Kowloon walk, or a day out to Sai Kung.
- Winter, January and February: mean daily minimums of 14.6 and 15.3 degrees and rain of 33.2 mm and 38.9 mm. Take a layer for evenings and for indoor places.
- Spring, March and April: humidity 82% to 83%, rain rising from 75.3 mm to 153.0 mm, and fog on the Observatory’s records on 1.47 days in March. Look at the forecast before paying for a viewpoint such as the Peak Tram and Sky Terrace 428.
- Summer, May to September: mean daily maximums of 28.8 to 31.6 degrees, more than 15 rain days a month in May, June and July, and the typhoon risk. The Hong Kong Tourism Board describes May to mid-September as hot, wet and humid. Indoor sights such as M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum fit these months.
What is on
From the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s festival pages, the organisers named and the government’s holiday list:
- Lunar New Year (Saturday 6 February 2027): a night parade in Tsim Sha Tsui on the first day, flower markets from a week beforehand, and the Sha Tin Racecourse meeting on the third day, Monday 8 February (Chinese New Year guide).
- Art Basel Hong Kong (25 to 27 March 2027): the dates Art Basel lists for its Hong Kong show (Art Basel).
- Dragon Boat Festival (Tuen Ng, Wednesday 9 June 2027): a general holiday (GovHK). The Tourism Board lists the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races at the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and the Dragon Boat Water Parade at Tai O, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. It falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
- Summer Fun (June to August): the Tourism Board’s summer programme of harbourfront races, events and deals.
- Mid-Autumn Festival (Wednesday 15 September 2027): mooncakes, lantern carnivals and the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance. The Tai Hang organisers hold the dance on the 14th, 15th and 16th of the eighth lunar month, which are 14 to 16 September in 2027 (Mid-Autumn guide).
- Wine & Dine Festival (October): held each October on the Central Harbourfront, according to the Tourism Board, which also lists Halloween events at Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park and the Hong Kong Cyclothon, which starts and ends at the West Kowloon Cultural District.
- WinterFest (winter): a Christmas Town, deals on shopping and dining, and the Hong Kong New Year Countdown, all listed by the Tourism Board.
Public holidays in 2027
The government’s 2027 general holidays are below.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Friday 1 January | The first day of January |
| Saturday 6 February | Lunar New Year’s Day |
| Monday 8 February | The third day of Lunar New Year |
| Tuesday 9 February | The fourth day of Lunar New Year (the second day falls on Sunday 7 February) |
| Friday 26 March | Good Friday |
| Saturday 27 March | The day following Good Friday |
| Monday 29 March | Easter Monday |
| Monday 5 April | Ching Ming Festival |
| Saturday 1 May | Labour Day |
| Thursday 13 May | The Birthday of the Buddha |
| Wednesday 9 June | Tuen Ng Festival |
| Thursday 1 July | Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day |
| Thursday 16 September | The day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival |
| Friday 1 October | National Day |
| Friday 8 October | Chung Yeung Festival |
| Saturday 25 December | Christmas Day |
| Monday 27 December | The first weekday after Christmas Day |
Lantern displays at the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay. Photo: Mk2010, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
A dragon boat on Victoria Harbour at the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival. Photo: Ceeseven, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What to explore next
Start with 3 days in Hong Kong, then see where to stay and Hong Kong airport to city. For wet days, things to do in Hong Kong lists indoor options.
Common questions
What is the best month to visit Hong Kong?
November has the best mix in the Observatory's 1991 to 2020 averages: a mean daily maximum of 24.5 degrees Celsius, 72% relative humidity and only 39.3 mm of rain. October is warmer (28.1 degrees) and sunnier (197.8 hours) and December is cooler and drier still.
When is typhoon season in Hong Kong?
May to November (Hong Kong Tourism Board). Signal No. 8 or higher averages 2.43 days a year, mostly from June to September.
When is the rainy season in Hong Kong?
May to September. The Observatory's averages put June at 491.5 mm, August at 453.2 mm and July at 385.8 mm, against 28.8 mm in December.
How cold does Hong Kong get in winter?
In January the mean daily maximum is 18.7 degrees Celsius and the mean daily minimum is 14.6, with 74% relative humidity (Hong Kong Observatory).
When is Chinese New Year in Hong Kong in 2027?
Lunar New Year's Day is Saturday 6 February 2027. The government's general holidays are 6, 8 and 9 February, the 9th standing in for the second day, which falls on a Sunday.
