Introduction

In recent years, extreme weather such as scorching high temperatures, super typhoons and torrential rain affected Hong Kong and various parts of the world. Issues in connection with climate change, including melting ice in polar region and rising sea levels, were also in the spotlight. While weather is closely connected with our daily lives, extreme weather events like extreme heat and rainfall are becoming more frequent under global warming, bringing severe damages and even loss of life to different parts of the world. The Hong Kong Observatory, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Meteorological Society, is organising a public activity "2021-2025 Top 10 Mind-boggling Weather and Climate Events Selection" to invite public attention to the high-impact weather and climate events in Hong Kong and around the world over the past 5 years, with a view to raising the public's awareness and understanding on extreme weather and climate change, as well as the concerns over the ecological environment.

Terms and conditions
  1. Participants should select 5 weather and climate events which are considered most significant, impactful or representative as a manifestation of climate crisis from each of the "Hong Kong" category and "Worldwide" category on the designated website of the Observatory during the voting period.
  2. The voting period starts on 29 January, 2026 and ends at 23:59:59 on 28 February, 2026, based on the time of reception at the server of this website. Late submissions will not be entertained.
  3. Each participant can only vote once. If repetitive votes were found, the related voting records may be discarded.
  4. If a participant whose 5 choices in either the "Hong Kong" or "Worldwide" category match the 5 events with the highest number of votes, he/she may win a set of exquisite souvenirs from the Observatory. 200 sets of souvenirs for each category will be given to the first 200 winning participants based on the time they cast the vote.
  5. If a participant wishes to win the souvenirs from this event, he/she needs to provide an email address for communication use. The personal data provided by the participant will be used only for the abovementioned purpose, and will be destroyed at appropriate time after the event. In accordance with Section 18, Section 22 and Principle 6 of Schedule 1 to the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, you have the right to request access and correct the personal data you provided.
  6. If a participant does not wish to provide his/her email address, his/her vote would still be valid but he/she would lose the chance to win any souvenir. If the information submitted by the participant is inaccurate or incomplete, making the Observatory unable to contact the winner, verify his/her identity and/or arrange for souvenir redemption, he/she will be disqualified from winning souvenir.
  7. Cookies or similar technologies are employed on the voting webpage to save users' voting information and settings to ensure the effective operation of the website. Such information and settings are only stored on the users’ computer or mobile device. No personally identifiable information would be collected and saved by cookies. If users opt for not accepting cookies by changing browser settings, they may not be able to participate in the voting.
  8. Each email address is eligible for winning souvenirs once only. The results of the campaign will be announced tentatively in late March 2026. Winners will also be notified via email afterwards.
  9. In case of any dispute, the decision of the Hong Kong Observatory shall be final.