SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 1979
5
WEATHER IN DECEMBER
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THE WEATHER LAST (DECEMBER) MONTH WAS MILD AND SUNNY WITH
A MONTHLY MEAN TEMPERATURE OF 18.6 DEGREES CELSIUS, MAKING IT THE SECOND WARMEST DECEMBER SINCE 1968, THE WEATHER SUMMARY ISSUED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY SAID TODAY (SUNDAY).
THE WARMEST DECEMBER IN THE LAST 10 YEARS WAS IN 1977 WHEN
THE MEAN TEMPERATURE WAS 19.4 DEGREES CELSIUS.
DURING THE MONTH, NO BIG FALLS IN TEMPERATURE WERE EXPERIENCED ALTHOUGH THE STRONG MONSOON SIGNAL WAS HOISTED ON FOUR OCCASIONS TO WARN OF STRONG WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WINTER SEASON.
RAINFALL WAS BELOW NORMAL AS THERE WAS RAIN ON ONLY FIVE DAYS OF THE MONTH.
IT WAS FINE AND DRY DURING THE FIRST 17 DAYS. CONDITIONS WERE RATHER MILD AND ON DECEMBER 10 TEMPERATURES ROSE TO A MAXIMUM OF 26.6 DEGREES CELSIUS — THE HIGHEST RECORDED IN THE MONTH.
A COLD FRONT PASSED THROUGH HONG KONG ON DECEMBER 10 AND STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WERE EXPERIENCED FROM THAT EVENING UNTIL THE FOLLOWING MORNING. STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WERE AGAIN EXPERIENCED ON DECEMBER 14 AND 15 AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF A SURGE OF THE WINTER MONSOON ON DECEMBER 13.
THE WEATHER TURNED CLOUDY ON DECEMBER 18 AND RAIN WAS REPORTED ON DECEMBER 20 AND 21 WHEN HONG KONG WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A STRONG EASTERLY AIRSTREAM FROM THE TAIWAN STRAIT.
DRIER AIR FROM THE NORTH ARRIVED EARLY ON DECEMBER 22 AND THE WEATHER BECAME FINE AND SUNNY. HOWEVER, CLOUD AND RAIN RETURNED ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND PERSISTED UNTIL BOXING DAY AS A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE AT HIGHER LEVELS APPROACHED FROM THE WEST.
CONDITIONS WERE COOL FROM DECEMBER 20 TO 26 AND ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 24 TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO A MINIMUM OF 13.1 DEGREES CELSIUS THE LOWEST RECORDED IN THE MONTH.
FINE AND SUNNY WEATHER WAS AGAIN EXPERIENCED ON DECEMBER 27 AND PERSISTED UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH. DURING THIS PERIOD STRONG EASTERLY WINDS WERE AGAIN EXPERIENCED OVERNIGHT ON DECEMBER 29 AND THE FOLLOWING DAY.
DURING THE MONTH NO AIRCRAFT WERE DIVERTED FROM HONG KONG DUE TO THE WEATHER.
RED FIRE DANGER WARNINGS WERE ISSUED ON NINE DAYS OF THE MONTH.