History of the Hong Kong Observatory

It has been more than 100 years since the establishment of the Observatory, and the operation mode and service scope of the department have kept pace with the times to meet the expectations and needs of modern society. At the same time, the Observatory has continuously introduced advanced technology to keep pace with its business development. The following table summarizes the development of the observatory:

1883, the Hong Kong Observatory was established.

1884 began regular meteorological observation. Establish a tropical cyclone warning system (the earliest marine meteorological service in Hong Kong).

1885, Tsim Sha Tsui Police Department lowered the time ball for the first time.

1892 provides meteorological services in the harbour.

1908, receiving ship weather report by wireless telegraph.

19 15 Start wireless broadcasting of ship weather forecast.

192 1, balloons are used for high-altitude exploration. Start seismic survey.

1928 Start the voice broadcast of weather forecast.

1937, aviation meteorological service was established.

1949, high-altitude meteorological data were measured by radiosonde and radar sounding system.

1959, the observatory set up the first weather radar.

At 196 1, the radioactivity in the atmosphere was measured.

1967 began to issue thunderstorm and rainstorm warning.

1973, the observatory established the first computer system.

During the period of 1975, the Observatory exchanged meteorological data through the Global Telecommunication System (﹝GTS﹞) of the World Meteorological Organization, and established the following three sets of regional dedicated circuits: Hong Kong-Tokyo (1969) Hong Kong-Bangkok (1970).

1977, received the image of geostationary meteorological satellite (﹝GMS﹞) of Japan Meteorological Agency. Began to issue landslide warning.

1979, a short-period seismic network consisting of three stations was established. The Observatory's first numerical model of weather forecast (balanced barotropic model) has been put into operation.

1980, the first cesium atomic clock system was established.

1985, the first automatic weather station jointly built by Guangdong and Hong Kong began to operate in Huangmaozhou. Set up a "call the weather" service.

A radiation measurement room was established in kings park.

1987 established the environmental radiation monitoring plan.

1988 a new numerical model of weather forecast (limited area numerical model) has been put into operation, which is mainly aimed at small-scale weather systems affecting Hong Kong and its adjacent areas.

1990, radiation monitoring and evaluation center was established.

1992, a set of color-coded "rainstorm warning system" came into use.

1993, the observatory began to measure ozone and radiation in the upper air.

1994, the first Doppler weather radar of the Observatory began to operate.

1996, the Observatory set up a home page on the Internet.

1997, the seismic network was expanded to 8 stations, and digital signal transmission was adopted.

1998, providing interactive information inquiry system (﹝IES﹞) service. The Airport Doppler Weather Radar (﹝TDWR﹞) of the Observatory began to operate, detecting windshear and turbulence every minute and issuing relevant warnings to aircraft.

Launch a four-day weather forecast service.

1999, the new weather radar system installed by the Observatory at Tai Mo Shan was officially put into service. The new system provides high-resolution radar data, which can monitor the severe weather system more effectively. A supercomputer has been added to the Observatory to run a set of high-resolution numerical weather forecasting model (business area spectrum model) to enhance the ability of forecasting rainstorm.

Start issuing cold weather warning.

Start providing ultraviolet index.

In 2000, a resource center was opened in the commercial building near the Observatory to facilitate public access to information and publications. The Observatory added an efficient server cluster to improve its meteorological data processing ability.

Launch a five-day weather forecast service.

Early warning of high temperature weather was issued.

On 200 1, the Observatory strengthened its website service, providing text version and audio webpage to facilitate visually impaired people to obtain weather information. In addition, the Observatory also launched a WAP version of the website for mobile phone users. The Observatory has installed a satellite receiving system to receive high-resolution satellite cloud images from polar orbiting satellites.

Hong Kong's first meteorological buoy began to operate.

The last signal station of Cheung Chau Observatory was closed, which marked the end of the era of hoisting typhoon signals to transmit storm information.

In 2002, the "World Weather Information Service" website sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization and developed and managed by the Hong Kong Observatory was officially put into operation. This is the world's first website covering the official weather forecast of major cities around the world. Is the Observatory in Chek Lap Kok? The world's first airport weather warning lidar was installed in the corner.

The Observatory was certified by ISO900 1:2000 to confirm the quality of international aviation meteorological services provided by the Observatory. The Observatory is one of the first aviation meteorological service units in the Asia-Pacific region to obtain ISO certification.

In 2003, the automatic weather report transmitted by computer on commercial aircraft was successfully received for the first time. The Observatory updated the computer of the nowcasting system. The new computer can handle more real-time weather data and run more advanced algorithms to improve forecast products.

In response to the information policy of the Hong Kong Government, the website of the Observatory has been updated with a "unified look and style" design.

A service that provides weather data in extensible markup language.

Launch a seven-day weather forecast service.

In 2004, the first automatic high-altitude detection system in Southeast Asia was officially opened. Start the Personal Digital Assistant website.

It began to provide the time data of the atomic clock of the Observatory to the International Bureau of Metrology and participated in the formulation of coordinated universal time.

Co-sponsored the 13th session of the Second Regional Association of the World Meteorological Organization (Asia).

Became the first meteorological department in Asia to automatically receive and send weather reports from commercial aircraft to the world.

For the first time, we provided weather forecasting services and technical support for the Hong Kong Olympic windsurfing team.

In 2005, the Observatory cooperated with Guangdong Meteorological Bureau and Macau Geophysical and Meteorological Bureau to establish lightning location network and launch lightning location information service. The Observatory publishes rainfall assessment for Hong Kong in the next century.

On behalf of the World Meteorological Organization, the Observatory participated in the establishment of the Indian Ocean tsunami warning system and helped to cancel the system after the earthquake in Pakistan.

The world's first laser windshear early warning system developed by the Observatory has been officially put into operation at the Hong Kong International Airport, providing windshear early warning service for aircraft taking off and landing.

The two websites of the Hong Kong Observatory, the World Weather Information Service and the Severe Weather Information Center, commissioned by the United Nations World Meteorological Organization, began to operate and officially became part of the daily work of the World Meteorological Organization.