Typhoon Noul, Hong Kong’s first No. 9 signal storm of 2026, passed near the city early Sunday, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and widespread disruption. The storm made landfall at around 4 a.m. in Huizhou city, Guangdong province, after moving approximately 30 kilometers northeast of Hong Kong—marking one of the closest typhoon approaches to the city since 2000.

Hong Kong’s Observatory issued its initial No. 8 typhoon warning late Saturday evening before upgrading to a No. 9 signal at 1:10 a.m. Sunday. The warning was scaled down to No. 8 six hours later, then lowered further to No. 3 in the early afternoon and finally canceled by 7:10 p.m. Heavy rain accompanied the typhoon, with over 70 millimeters recorded in most areas and surpassing 140 millimeters in parts of the eastern New Territories by midday. The city also experienced intermittent amber rainstorm warnings throughout the day.

In mainland China, the National Meteorological Centre released its first red typhoon warning of 2026 on Saturday evening, the country’s highest alert level in its four-tier system. Following the storm’s weakening, that warning was downgraded on Sunday. Authorities in Guangdong evacuated more than 800,000 residents and implemented a “five suspensions” policy across about a dozen cities, halting classes, work, business operations, transportation, and production.

The typhoon severely impacted transportation in Hong Kong. Approximately 360 flights were canceled on Sunday, in addition to nearly 50 cancellations on Saturday, with Cathay Pacific accounting for over 200 of the disrupted flights. The cancellations stranded around 2,000 travelers, mostly those departing, at Hong Kong International Airport overnight. Some passengers reported difficulty securing hotel accommodations amid sharply increased room rates.

Cross-border transportation was also affected. All high-speed rail services between West Kowloon station and mainland destinations before 4 p.m. on Sunday were canceled. The MTR Corporation reported nearly 230 cross-border services canceled over the weekend, prompting long queues of passengers seeking to reschedule or cancel trips. Local rail services gradually normalized by Sunday afternoon, and bus and ferry routes resumed, although some were diverted due to fallen trees.

The storm caused considerable local damage, although mostly minor. By early afternoon, the government received more than 330 reports of fallen trees and several flooding incidents. The Hospital Authority recorded 21 storm-related injuries treated in public hospitals by midday, while the Auxiliary Medical Service responded to over 60 cases, deploying more than 200 personnel. Temporary shelters operated by the Home Affairs Department provided refuge for over 240 people.

Despite limited physical damage, residents described an intense and restless night as typhoon winds battered buildings and rattled windows. Many reported loud gusts likened to howling or slapping sounds, particularly in the Yuen Long district, where wind effects were described as unusually severe. Forecasters explained that areas facing northwest to southwest experienced the strongest winds due to Noul’s landfall positioning east of Hong Kong, differing from previous typhoons that tracked west of the city.

Though Noul has moved away, officials warned that outer rainbands would continue to bring squally showers and thunderstorms through Monday. The storm was expected to stall over central Guangdong before shifting north into Hunan province by early Monday, gradually weakening as it progressed inland.