Launching of “Historical Records of Using Typhoon Gun and Explosives as Tropical Cyclone Warning in Hong Kong during 1884-1937” Webpage

30 March 2023

The Hong Kong Observatory launched the “Historical Records of Using Typhoon Gun and Explosives as Tropical Cyclone Warning in Hong Kong during 1884-1937” webpage today (30 March 2023) to display these precious historical records.

In 1884, the Observatory started to provide tropical cyclone warning services to local public through the use of “typhoon gun”. When a tropical cyclone was approaching and was expected to bring gales to the territory, the typhoon gun would be fired to warn the public. Since 1907, the typhoon gun was replaced by explosives which produced louder sounds. When winds with hurricane force were expected locally, three explosives would be fired at intervals of ten seconds.

The records of the use of typhoon gun and explosives in Hong Kong over a century ago were mainly documented in historical reports and newspapers. In recent years, the Hong Kong Observatory recovered and compiled relevant historical records from 1884 to 1937 and showed them in the webpage.