Hong Kong’s Air Pollution Reaches ‘Serious’ Level on Storm.

Hong Kong’s air pollution reached the “serious” level today, the worst in almost two months, as an approaching tropical storm led to haze.

The pollution, as measured by the Air Quality Health Index, reached the highest level of 10 plus at seven monitoring stations, while the other stations had readings that ranged from 8 to 10, according to the Environmental Protection Department website. The health risk categories are “serious” or “very high,” according to the data.

Tropical storm Fung-wong is sweeping toward Taiwan from the Philippines, with its approach raising the temperature and leading to still air around Hong Kong, according to the Hong Kong Observatory. Nitrogen dioxide, ozone levels and the amount of suspended particles in the air have jumped, according to data on the government website.

“Temperatures in many places rose to 33 degrees or above around noon,” the weather bureau said on its website.

Poor roadside air quality presents the biggest daily health threat to Hong Kong’s 7.2 million people, according to the government’s clean-air plan published last year. Nitrogen dioxide, mostly formed from vehicles in roadside areas, has been linked to damaged lung function in children and asthma attacks.

The last time the pollution level in Hong Kong reached this level was on July 22, when Typhoon Matmo hit the region.

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