Typhoons and heavy rain: decide what happens to your class

CityUHK classes/exams normally continue under typhoon1/3 and amber/red rain. For typhoon8+, the Observatory’s announcement that8+ will be issued within two hours, black rain or a government Extreme Conditions announcement, apply the tables below. Education Bureau school suspensions do not automatically apply to the university. Record warning issue/cancellation and class start times, and identify on-campus versus online.

1. 1

   Read the warning and its times

   Open the Observatory warning and note its type, issue/cancellation time, session start, campus/online format and whether it is already in progress.

   Check current Observatory warnings (opens in a new tab)
2. 2

   Use the two tables for unstarted campus sessions

   While the warning remains in force use the cancellation table; once cancelled use the resumption table. A 12:00 cancellation resumes sessions from 14:00, whereas 12:01 cancels afternoon sessions and resumes the evening. Do not substitute a blanket two-hour rule.

   Warning in force: cancellation tableWarning cancelled: resumption table
3. 3

   Check ongoing sessions, online classes and deadlines separately

   For a class/exam already started use the on-site rules. For online sessions use the Course Leader’s email. Confirm cancellation/rescheduling, venue and new deadlines, and travel only when safe. Campus cancellation does not automatically extend coursework.

While the warning remains in force, apply the07:00,12:00 and16:00 thresholds in sequence; morning cancellation does not automatically cancel the whole day. If cancelled in between, use the resumption table next. In-progress classes/exams follow section4; do not leave an exam merely because a new warning appears.

Cancellation time determines which later sessions resume. At12:00 cancellation, afternoon classes from14:00 resume; at12:01 cancellation, afternoon sessions cancel and evening sessions from18:30 resume. There is no universal “resume two hours after cancellation” rule for CityUHK. Check any specific university announcement.

If typhoon8+ or its two-hour advance announcement occurs during activities, on-campus classes/interviews/enrolment end as soon as practicable; exams already underway normally continue unless the responsible authority/invigilator terminates for danger. If black rain starts during a class or exam, it normally continues unless dangerous; interviews/enrolment for people already on campus continue and outdoor activities cancel. Remain in safe shelter under black rain until it ends and transport improves; do not wade through floodwater.

Course Leaders decide whether later online classes/exams continue and notify students by university email. Online activities already underway during typhoon8+/advance warning normally continue unless unsafe. Read course email/Canvas announcements for cancellation, online changes, replacement class/exam dates and assignment deadlines. An on-campus cancellation does not automatically cancel online work or extend every deadline. If clarification is missing, email the teacher with course code, section, original time, specific question and relevant warning/disruption evidence.

Long-term mean daily maxima exceed30°C in June–September; that is climate, not today’s forecast. Check current local conditions/warnings before departure and carry water/rain protection. Use the nine-day outlook for plans and recheck on the day. Enable MyObservatory warning notifications and monitor the Kowloon Tong/Ma On Shan areas; no push notification does not prove no warning.

Pack for more than summer. The 1991–2020 normals show 82–83% relative humidity in March–April and mean daily maxima of 30.5–31.6°C in June–September. Carry rain protection and dry wet clothes thoroughly. January averages 16.5°C, with a mean daily minimum of 14.6°C; individual days can be colder. In HKO forecasts, “cold” means 8–12°C: prepare warm layers and adequate bedding. A light layer is useful in air-conditioned rooms. Check your room’s facilities for heating instead of assuming every Hong Kong building has, or lacks, it. Use local observations and the forecast minimum for Kowloon Tong / Ma On Shan on the day.