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DRIER AND BRIGHTER IN MARCH
FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1990
WHILE THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF 1990 WERE WET AND HUMID, MARCH WAS DRIER AND BRIGHTER, ACCORDING TO THE MONTHLY WEATHER REPORT RELEASED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY TODAY (FRIDAY).
THE MONTHLY RAINFALL WAS 29.9 MILLIMETRES WHICH WAS 45 PER CENT BELOW THE NORMAL OF 54.8 MILLIMETRES. HOWEVER, THE QUARTERLY TOTAL OF 273.1 MILLIMETRES WAS STILL MORE THAN TWICE THE NORMAL OF 123.6 MILLIMETRES FOR THE SAME PERIOD.
APART FROM THE LAST 10 DAYS OF THE MONTH, THE DAILY MEAN PRESSURE STAYED CONSISTENTLY ON THE HIGH SIDE AS A CONTINENTAL ANTICYCLONE PREVAILED OVER CHINA. THE MONTHLY MEAN PRESSURE OF 1,018.2 HPA TURNED OUT TO BE THE FIFTH HIGHEST ON RECORD FOR MARCH.
THE COLD NORTHERLY SURGE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY PERSISTED INTO EARLY MARCH. THE FRONTAL CLOUDS LINGERED OVER THE SOUTH CHINA COASTAL AREAS AND BROUGHT FREQUENT DRIZZLE AND LIGHT RAIN FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS IN THE MONTH.
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PRECIPITATION BECAME LESS FREQUENT ON MARCH 3 AND 4. BUT TEMPERATURE DROPPED FURTHER AS COLD AIR WAS REPLENISHED FROM NORTH.
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THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 10.8 DEGREES RECORDED ON MORNING OF MARCH 5 WAS THE LOWEST FOR THE MONTH. THE ESTABLISHMENT DRY CONTINENTAL AIR IN HEIGHT CLEARED AWAY MOST OF THE CLOUDS AND GAVE RISE TO SOME SUNNY PERIODS DURING THE DAY.
THE WEATHER WAS EVEN SUNNIER ON MARCH 6, SPOILT ONLY BY SOME LIGHT RAIN LATER IN THE EVENING.
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WINDS THEN TURNED EASTERLY ON MARCH 7 AS THE CONTINENTAL ANTICYCLONE MOVED EASTWARDS TO EASTERN CHINA. THE WEATHER ON MARCH AND 8 WAS MAINLY FINE WITH COASTAL MIST AT TIMES.
WITH INCREASED MOISTURE IN THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE, CLOUDIER WEATHER PREVAILED ON MARCH 9 AND 10.
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ALTHOUGH A LULL IN THE EASTERLIES GAVE RISE TO LONG PERIODS SUNSHINE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, VISIBILITY STARTED TO DETERIORATE ON THE NIGHT OF MARCH 11. THE FOLLOWING DAY WAS MISTY WITH PERSISTENT FOG OFFSHORE AND FOG INSIDE THE HARBOUR DURING THE MORNING.
THE EASTERLIES FRESHENED AGAIN ON MARCH 13 AND CLOUDY CONDITION RETURNED. AFTER SOME MORNING RAIN ON MARCH 16, THE WEATHER TURNED GENERALLY FINE EXCEPT FOR ANOTHER CLOUDY INTERLUDE ON MARCH 18.
/FROM MARCH