THE ENVIRONMENT
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property resulted from the gale force winds, farmers in the New Territories suffered losses because more than 1,000 hectares of vegetables and flowers were destroyed and many fish ponds overflowed. Agnes resulted in 137 casualties and three deaths. There were numerous landslips but none of them was extensive.
The first two months of the year were dry and cool and many Fire Danger Warnings were issued. Conditions were very cold on January 16-21 and frost was reported in the northern part of the New Territories. It was coldest on the morning of January 18 when minimum temperatures of -1°C and 0°C were reported at Tai Mo Shan and Tate's Cairn respectively. The minimum temperature at the Royal Observatory was 6.9°C which was the lowest recorded in the year. The Strong Monsoon Signal was hoisted on five occasions in January and on two occasions in February to warn of strong winds associated with the winter monsoon.
March was damp and gloomy. It was much wetter and cloudier than usual. The total rainfall recorded at the Royal Observatory amounted to 143.8 mm which repre- sents nearly three times the average figure for March. The total duration of sunshine was only 21.7 hours, the lowest in any March since 1884. The mean cloudiness of 95 per cent is the fourth highest and the mean relative humidity of 90 per cent is the second highest on record for March. The month was the most foggy March since 1958. There were 14 days when fog was reported at Waglan Island and six days at the Royal Observatory, compared with the average over the last 10 years of 5.9 days at Waglan Island and 1.7 days at the Royal Observatory. The widespread fog from March 26 until the end of the month seriously affected sea and air traffic. Many scheduled flights were delayed or diverted and two ship collisions occurred within Hong Kong
waters.
April was wet and thundery. The month had the largest number of thunderstorms in any April since 1926. There were 10 days with thunderstorms reported at the Royal Observatory and the month's total rainfall amounted to 237 mm which is 75 per cent above average. A stationary trough of low pressure near the South China coast gave rise to frequent showers and thunderstorms from April 28 until the end of the month. Rain was very heavy on the morning of April 28 and flooding was reported in many places on both sides of the harbour. Typhoon Olive was one of the very few typhoons that has ever threatened Hong Kong in April. Olive passed about 350 kilometres south-southeast of Hong Kong on April 24 but had little effect on the weather in Hong Kong.
Rainfall in May was near normal but the month was the coolest and cloudiest May since 1972. The 89.4 hours of sunshine recorded in the month amounted to the third lowest on record for May.
Sunny and hot weather was experienced in June and the month was the driest June since 1963. The total rainfall recorded at the Royal Observatory was 242.4 mm which represents only about half of the normal figure. However, in Tai Po, more than 700 mm were recorded. According to press reports, heavy flooding occurred in Sha Tin on the morning of June 2 and the flood water rose to a maximum depth of 1.5 metres. Both road and rail traffic between Kowloon and the New Territories was disrupted. Another flood occurred at Tai Po. Several villages were affected and more than 3,000 chickens drowned. Strong southeasterly winds were experienced on June 26-7 when the summer monsoon remained active over the northern part of the South China Sea.