Hong Kong’s weather is famous for its unpredictability, typhoon seasons usually between May and November. When a typhoon or rainstorm is hoisted, parents or guardians should listen to the radio, TV weather broadcasts and Education Bureau’s announcements, and use their discretion before sending the child to school. Our extreme weather procedure follows the instructions from Education Bureau (EDB) are listed out below:

Tropical Cyclones Procedure

  • When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 is issued:
    • All schools, including kindergartens, are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise
  • When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is issued:
    • Classes of all kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to be suspended.
    • Other schools are to operate as usual unless advised otherwise.
  • When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Pre-No. 8 / No. 8 or above is issued*
    • Classes of all schools are to be suspended.
  • When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is replaced by Signal No. 3
    • Classes of all kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability are to remain suspended.
    • Unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day, other schools are to resume if Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 3 has been issued by 5:30 a.m. (for AM and Whole-day schools) / 10:30 a.m. (for PM schools)
  • When Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 is replaced by Signal No.1 or when all signals are cancelled
    • All schools are to resume with the next session unless previous announcement has been made to the effect that classes will be suspended for the entire day.

*If students have already set out for school when the No. 3 signal is issued, kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability should activate the contingency plan to ensure that school premises will be open and staffed until proper arrangements are made for arriving students to return home at an appropriate time. The same applies to all schools if the Pre-No. 8 / No. 8 signal is issued when students have already set out for school.

Heaving rain

  • Rainstorm warning – Amber
    • Unless the EDB has made special announcement on suspension of classes, all schools, including kindergartens, are to operate as usual.
  • Rainstorm warning – Red or Black
    • Issued between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m:
      • Classes of AM and Whole-day schools are to be suspended all day.
      • Schools are required to activate contingency plan and arrange staff to look after students who might arrive and ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
    • Issued between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m
      • Classes of AM and Whole-day schools are to be suspended.
      • Schools are required to ensure that their premises are open until the end of the normal school hours and arrange staff to look after those students who have arrived at school. They ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
      • Students who have not left for school should stay home.
    • Issued between 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
      • AM and Whole-day schools should continue the lessons until the end of the normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
    • Issued between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
      • Classes of PM schools are to be suspended.
      • AM and Whole-day schools should continue the lessons until the end of the normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
    • Issued between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
      • Classes of PM schools are to be suspended.
      • PM schools are required to ensure that their premises are open until the end of the normal school hours and arrange staff to look after those students who have arrived at school. They ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
      • Students of PM schools who have not yet left for school should stay home.
      • AM and Whole-day schools should continue the lessons until the end of the normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home.
    • Issued after 1:00 p.m
      • All schools should continue the lessons until the end of the normal school hours and ought to ensure that conditions are safe before allowing students to return home

Useful links:

Education Bureau

Hong Kong Observatory