Hong Kong will experience rain and thunderstorms on Thursday, the weather forecaster has said, as it monitors the potential development of a tropical cyclone.

The Hong Kong Observatory said that unsettled weather would affect the city, with a broad area of low pressure over the central part of the South China Sea expected to move closer to Western Guangdong and Hainan Island between Wednesday and Thursday.

“Under its influence, there will be a few showers locally later [on Wednesday], and more showers with squally thunderstorms [on Thursday],” the forecaster said.

The Observatory added that it was closely monitoring whether the area of low pressure would develop into a tropical cyclone.

It also issued a very hot weather warning at 6.54am, with the mercury hovering around 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) in urban areas and a few degrees higher in the New Territories.