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Watching the Weather
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Hong Kong lies just within the tropics yet its climate is remarkably temperate for nearly half the year. The cool, dry winter season, governed by a monsoon which blows from October until mid-March of later, brings relief from the heat and humidity of the summer monsoon from May to August when 80 per cent of the year's-rain falls. During these seasons H there are considerable variations in the weather for instance fog, hail and frequently destructive typhoons. Indeed, forecasting Hong Kong's weather presents a formidable challenge as it is influenced by complex interactions between the Asian monsoon and local effects, arising from Hong Kong's coastal location. Ram storms, tropical in nature, sometimes develop explosively and are extremely difficult to forecast. Yet it was just this location that caused the Royal Observa- tory to be set up in Hong Kong in 1883 The territory was considered favourable spot in the region for the study of weather in general and typhoons in particular For even by the 1800s, weather predictions in the East still depended heavily on local lore and custom. Throughout its hundred years' existence, the Observatory has kept pace with the times and today, through the latest technology and equipment, provides a sophisticated service to the public, ship- ping and aviation, and forms part of a worldwide meteorological network.
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Previous page: A Cypriot cargo ship, the 'City of Lobito', grounded on popular Tung Wan beach on Cheung Chau Island September, was one of 26 ocean-going ships driven aground during Typhoon Ellen hurricane-force winds. Left: Over 900 mm of rain fell during the first four months of 1983, the highest total for the period since recording began at the Royal Observatory in 1884.