High tide and new moon: Hong Kong meteorologists reveal the secrets behind Typhoon Hato’s strength

Hurricane-force winds, a clash with the regular high tide and a new moon helped brew one of the most powerful storms to hit Hong Kong in years, according to meteorologists. As Typhoon Hato skirted the south of the city on Wednesday, the sea around parts of the territory swelled up to 4.5 metres in height, inundating coastal and low-lying areas with a powerful storm surge. During the peak of the No 10 signal storm, at least one village, Tai O – nicknamed the “Venice of Hong Kong for...