The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) announced in a statement yesterday evening that its cold shelter, due to the issuance of a Yellow or Orange* cold weather alert, has opened its doors.
The shelter is located at 34 Rua Leste da Ilha Verde, Edifício do Bairro da Ilda Verde (青洲東街34號青洲坊大廈E1的避寒中心).
Yesterday evening, the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) hoisted its Yellow cold weather alert and Temperature Drop Alert.
The weather station’s Temperature Drop Alert means a significant decrease in temperature is forecast for Macau within the next 48 hours.
Last night, the local observatory forecast that today’s temperature will range between 11°C and 16°C only.
For more information, one can visit the websites of the local observatory and Social Welfare Bureau.
According to the weather station’s weather outlook, a winter monsoon is currently affecting southern China, bringing significantly lower temperatures and strong winds; Macau will experience cold and dry conditions in the coming days. The observatory also said that this weekend and early next week, an easterly airflow will gradually bring warmer daytime temperatures, though mornings and evenings will remain cool.
At 10 p.m. yesterday, the mercury stood at 17.7°C in Dr. Sun Yat Sen Municipal Park near the shelter.
Yesterday was Dahan (大寒) in the Chinese calendar**, and the weather station said that according to Macau’s climate data between 1991 and 2020, the daily minimum temperatures during the Dahan period ranged from 5.2°C to 18.1°C. Around 40 percent of days during this period were classified as cold, with some years experiencing days of severely cold weather, the observatory said, adding that the minimum temperatures ranged from 5°C to 7°C.
The Health Bureau (SSM) also issued a warning urging members of the public to take precautions against hypothermia and ensure adequate warmth. Attention should be paid to the elderly, those with chronic illnesses, their carers and relevant institutions, who need to implement appropriate preventative and care measures to safeguard their wellbeing.
It also urged the public to bundle up.
*The Orange cold weather alert signifies that it is forecast to be, or is, “very cold”. The “Yellow” alert predicts that it will be, or is, “cold”.
** The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar system traditionally used in China and other East Asian societies. It determines dates for festivals, guides agricultural activities, and is used for selecting auspicious days for events like weddings and opening businesses. In the Chinese calendar, the Dahan period (大寒) refers to the “Major Cold” solar term. It is the 24th term in the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar and generally falls around January 20. This period marks one of the coldest times of the year in many parts of China. – DeepSeek
This undated handout photo recently provided by the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) shows the cold shelter in Edifício do Bairro da Ilha Verde.
