The Observatory (HKO) says Saturday's waterspout in Victoria Harbour is the first since its waterspout records began in 1959. Videos circulating online showed a swirling column of water, seemingly connecting the sky with the harbour. The weather phenomenon appeared at about noon.

A former assistant director at the HKO, Leung Wing-mo, who's now a spokesman for the Meteorological Society, said waterspouts are rare in Hong Kong, adding that only a few waterspouts had been seen in the city over the past 60 years.

Leung also said the occurrence of a waterspout depends on many factors, including the location of a thundercloud, humidity, and the atmosphere.

"At the time that the waterspout was observed, if we look at the radar imagery of the Hong Kong Observatory, we had a rain area right in Victoria Harbour, and that rain area is also a thunderstorm bearing," he explained.

"So, it all depends on whether this thunderstorm cloud occurred. If it occurred over land, then probably we'd have a tornado. We have a thunderstorm cloud right over Victoria Harbour, then we have a waterspout."

The Observatory also warned that strong gusts were affecting Hong Kong and it advised people to seek shelter.

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Last updated: 2024-09-28 HKT 16:25