A former director of the Hong Kong Observatory has criticized the government’s heat stress warning system, deeming it ineffective after it only issued its lowest-level “Amber” alert despite record-breaking temperatures over the weekend. Lam Chiu-ying, who headed the Observatory from 2003 to 2009, expressed bafflement at the system’s failure to reflect the intensity of the heat. The current system assesses heat stress risks for outdoor workers, but Lam suggests it failed to adequately acknowledge the danger presented by the extreme conditions. The incident raises questions about the system’s sensitivity and its ability to protect vulnerable populations during increasingly frequent heatwaves. Critics argue the alert level should have been higher given the record temperatures, suggesting the system is more for show than practical use. This lack of appropriate warning could put outdoor workers at risk during periods of intense heat.