What to Wear in Hong Kong
China (SAR) · 9 monthly packing guides
Hong Kong runs cosmopolitan-luxury split across Central (the financial district's smart-business uniform — fitted blouses, knee-length skirts, blazers, low-heel pumps) and Causeway Bay-Tsim Sha Tsui (cosmopolitan-luxury shopping with IFC Mall, Pacific Place, Times Square, Harbour City). The AC differential is among Asia's sharpest — 28°C / 82°F outside, 18-20°C / 64-68°F inside the malls and MTR — so a thin cardigan or pashmina is daily infrastructure. Vivienne Tam (HK-Chinese designer since 1990), Shanghai Tang (HK-founded 1994), Joyce (HK luxury multi-brand since 1971), On Pedder, and Lane Crawford (HK department store since 1850) hold the local luxury vocabulary. Typhoon season runs May-October.
Choose your month below to match your layers and shoes to the weather. Across the months covered, average daily lows reach 14°C / 57°F in January; average highs reach 31°C / 88°F in July.
Compare Hong Kong by month
Monthly averages help compare packing needs; check the forecast before departure. Only months with published guides are listed. See the source notes below for station and measurement differences. Scroll across the table to see all weather details on a small screen.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Rain days | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January packing guide | 14°C / 57°F | 20°C / 68°F | 5 | 10h 54m |
| February packing guide | 15°C / 59°F | 20°C / 68°F | 5 | 11h 24m |
| May packing guide | 23°C / 73°F | 28°C / 82°F | 14 | 13h |
| June packing guide | 26°C / 79°F | 30°C / 86°F | 19 | 13h 25m |
| July packing guide | 26°C / 79°F | 31°C / 88°F | 18 | 13h 15m |
| August packing guide | 26°C / 79°F | 31°C / 88°F | 17 | 12h 50m |
| October packing guide | 24°C / 75°F | 30°C / 86°F | 5 | 11h 40m |
| November packing guide | 20°C / 68°F | 26°C / 79°F | 4 | 11h 05m |
| December packing guide | 15°C / 59°F | 21°C / 70°F | 4 | 10h 47m |
Choose your Hong Kong packing list
Hong Kong in January: 20°C / 68°F afternoons, 14°C / 57°F nights, and the coldest nights of the year on NOAA's airport record.
In this capsule: Black collarless quilted down liner; Black waffle-knit thermal crew; Heather-grey marl zip-front knit.
Hong Kong in February: 20°C / 68°F afternoons, 15°C / 59°F nights, drizzle and fog coming back, and Lunar New Year on 6 February.
In this capsule: Stone unlined double-breasted trench; Cherry-red chunky-rib V-neck cardigan; Ivory heavy lambswool crew.
Hong Kong in May: 28°C / 82°F afternoons, 23°C / 73°F mornings, 80% humidity, 14 rain days — pre-monsoon humidity rises.
In this capsule: Cotton-rayon or AIRism tees (3+); Linen-blend trousers or knee-length skirt; Fitted cotton or silk blouse.
Hong Kong in June: 30°C / 86°F afternoons, 26°C / 79°F mornings, 80% humidity, 19 rain days — peak Southwest monsoon, Dragon Boat Festival.
In this capsule: AIRism or merino-blend tees (3+); Linen-blend or rayon trousers (cream + navy); Knee-length cotton-modal dress.
Hong Kong in July: 31°C / 88°F afternoons, 26°C / 79°F mornings, 18 rain days — typhoon-season peak, Book Fair mid-month.
In this capsule: AIRism or merino-blend tees (3+); Rayon or linen-blend trousers (cream + navy); Knee-length cotton-modal dress.
Hong Kong in August: 31°C / 88°F afternoons, 26°C / 79°F mornings, 17 rain days — typhoon-season continues, Ghost Festival across 7th lunar month.
In this capsule: AIRism or merino-blend tees (3+); Rayon or linen-blend trousers (cream + navy); Knee-length cotton-modal dress.
Hong Kong in October: 30°C / 86°F afternoons, 24°C / 75°F nights, and half of September's wet days. Summer heat under a dry-season sky.
In this capsule: White cotton knit polo, short sleeve, open placket; Pale sage linen drawstring wide-leg trousers; Sand linen overshirt, long sleeve, chest pocket.
Hong Kong in November: 26°C / 79°F afternoons, 20°C / 68°F nights, about 4 wet days and the driest air since February.
In this capsule: Navy unlined chore jacket, three patch pockets; Navy-and-ecru Breton cotton knit; Stone cotton Oxford button-down shirt.
Hong Kong in December: 21°C / 70°F afternoons, 15°C / 59°F nights, and the first cold nights of the winter monsoon.
In this capsule: Charcoal herringbone tweed blazer; Cream cable-knit cashmere crew-neck sweater; Charcoal chunky-rib V-neck cardigan.
Climate sources by month
These credits follow the source recorded on each monthly guide. Climate figures inform the packing advice; outfit combinations and illustrations are editorial suggestions.
- January: NOAA NCEI · Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok) · 1991–2020 normalsfigures computed from NOAA NCEI's global-summary-of-the-day record 45007099999 for the airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 complete Januaries (rain days counted at ≥0.01 in on the 22 Januaries with complete rain reports). NOAA's daily archive for the Hong Kong Observatory's headquarters station ends in 1992, so the airport record stands in. Recorded per month because this city's other pages are sourced differently.
- February: NOAA NCEI · Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok) · 1991–2020 normalsfigures computed from NOAA NCEI's global-summary-of-the-day record 45007099999 for the airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 complete Februaries (rain days counted at ≥0.01 in on the 22 Februaries with complete rain reports). NOAA's daily archive for the Hong Kong Observatory's headquarters station ends in 1992, so the airport record stands in. Recorded per month because this city's other pages are sourced differently.
- May: Hong Kong Observatory · monthly climate averages
- June: Hong Kong Observatory · monthly climate averages
- July: Hong Kong Observatory · monthly climate averages
- August: Hong Kong Observatory · monthly climate averages
- October: NOAA NCEI · Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok) · 1991–2020 normalsfigures computed from NOAA NCEI's global-summary-of-the-day record 45007099999 for the airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 complete Octobers (rain days counted at ≥0.01 in on the 23 Octobers with complete rain reports). NOAA's daily archive for the Hong Kong Observatory's headquarters station ends in 1992, so the airport record stands in. Recorded per month because this city's other pages are sourced differently.
- November: NOAA NCEI · Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok) · 1991–2020 normalsfigures computed from NOAA NCEI's global-summary-of-the-day record 45007099999 for the airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 complete Novembers (rain days counted at ≥0.01 in on the 23 Novembers with complete rain reports). NOAA's daily archive for the Hong Kong Observatory's headquarters station ends in 1992, so the airport record stands in. Recorded per month because this city's other pages are sourced differently.
- December: NOAA NCEI · Hong Kong International Airport (Chek Lap Kok) · 1991–2020 normalsfigures computed from NOAA NCEI's global-summary-of-the-day record 45007099999 for the airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 complete Decembers (rain days counted at ≥0.01 in on the 22 Decembers with complete rain reports). NOAA's daily archive for the Hong Kong Observatory's headquarters station ends in 1992, so the airport record stands in. Recorded per month because this city's other pages are sourced differently.
Frequently asked questions
Start with your travel month. The 9 published guides cover January, February, May, June, July, August, October, November, December. Compare the average low as well as the high: among these months, January has the lowest average low at 14°C / 57°F, while July has the highest average high at 31°C / 88°F. For a trip spanning two months, read both lists before deciding which layers to bring.
No. They are monthly climate averages for planning, not temperatures promised for a particular day or hour. Check the local forecast close to departure and adjust your layers and rain protection. The source, station and averaging period are listed for each month where recorded; different stations or rain-day definitions can affect comparisons.
No. Treat the capsule as a set of clothing functions: walking shoes, a base outfit, weather protection and any change for dinner or a venue's dress code. Start with equivalents you own. Adjust quantities to your trip length and laundry access; the illustrations are outfit suggestions, not a shopping requirement.