The Hong Kong Observatory raised the amber rainstorm warning signal as heavy showers drenched the city around lunchtime on Wednesday.

The HKO issued the warning at 11:35 am as severe thundery showers associated with upper-air disturbances affected the territory. It earlier raised the thunderstorm warning which was expected to last until 2 pm.  

“The rainstorm warning signal is now amber. This means that heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall generally over Hong Kong, exceeding 30 millimeters in an hour, and is likely to continue,” the observatory said.

The HKO said that flooding was expected in some low-lying and poorly drained areas, urging members of the public to stay away from watercourses that could see flash floods.

The amber signal was eventually canceled at 12:45 pm. 

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The observatory said that the city could expect mainly cloudy weather with occasional showers and a few squally thunderstorms on Wednesday afternoon.

Temperatures could fall to a minimum of about 21 degrees Celsius in urban areas around midnight, and a couple of degrees lower in the New Territories, it added.