Macau rising temperatures set new April records

The average temperature in Macau is consistently increasing, and the city has broken three average temperature records for April.

Data from the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau shows that last month, Macau recorded an average monthly temperature of 25.3 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest April on record since data collection began in 1952.

Furthermore, the average maximum and minimum temperatures in April were 28 degrees and 23.4 degrees respectively, surpassing previous records for that month.

Macau is not the only region facing record-breaking temperatures. The Hong Kong Observatory has reported Macau’s neighboring SAR also experienced its hottest April, with an average monthly temperature of 26.4 degrees.

Across Asia, countries like the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia are grappling with unprecedented heatwaves, with temperatures soaring as high as 45 degrees.

South and Southeast Asian countries have been coping with a heat wave lasting several weeks, rendering record high temperatures that have posed a severe health risk.

Umbrellas to shield against the blazing sunlight are popular and air-conditioned malls are serving as urban oases. Schools in Cambodia have been reducing teaching hours. In the Philippines, India and Bangladesh, officials have told students to stay home and take their lessons remotely.

A UNICEF statement said that in the Asia-Pacific region, “around 243 million children are exposed to hotter and longer heatwaves, putting them at risk of a multitude of heat-related illnesses, and even death.”

Further, a report published by local meteorologists earlier this year suggests that the frequency of hot days in Macau could double by the middle of the century. Additionally, international reports indicate the temperature in 2024 may surpass that of 2023, which was already recognized as the warmest year globally. Howard Tong