SATURDAY, MAY 11, 1991
2
APRIL DRIER AND SUNNIER THAN NORMAL
APRIL 1991 WAS DRIER AND SUNNIER THAN NORMAL, ACCORDING TO THE MONTHLY WEATHER REPORT RELEASED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY TODAY
(SATURDAY).
IT WAS THE SEVENTH DRIEST APRIL ON RECORD. THE MONTHLY RAINFALL AMOUNT OF 34.7 MILLIMETRES WAS 79 PER CENT BELOW THE APRIL NORMAL OF 161.1 MILLIMETRES.
MOST OF THE RAIN FELL ON THE LAST DAY OF THE MONTH AND COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO A DISSIPATING TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER WESTERN
GUANGDONG.
RAINFALL OVER THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 1991 WAS THE 10TH LOWEST ON RECORD FOR THE PERIOD. THE TOTAL SINCE JANUARY 1 AMOUNTED TO 123.1 MILLIMETRES AND WAS 59 PER CENT BELOW THE CLIMATOLOGICAL NORMAL OF 299.8 MILLIMETRES.
AN INTENSE SURGE OF THE NORTHEAST MONSOON TOWARDS THE END OF MARCH LED TO UNSEASONABLY COOL WEATHER DURING THE EARLY PART OF APRIL.
THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 12.1 DEGREES ON THE MORNING OF APRIL I WAS THE LOWEST FOR THE MONTH. WINDS TURNED EASTERLY DURING THE DAY AND FRESHENED THE NEXT DAY.
THE WEATHER WAS GENERALLY FINE ON THE FIRST THREE DAYS OF APRIL BUT BECAME CLOUDIER ON APRIL 4. LIGHT RAIN STARTED TO FALL ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 5 AS A WEAK REPLENISHMENT OF THE NORTHEAST MONSOON REACHED THE SOUTH CHINA COASTAL AREAS.
THE WEATHER BECAME BRIGHTER ON APRIL 7 BUT RAIN RETURNED ON APRIL 8 AS THE EASTERLIES FRESHENED.
THE RAIN AND DRIZZLE TURNED INTO MIST AND LOW CLOUDS ON APRIL 9. FOG HOVERED OVER OFFSHORE WATERS AND ALSO AFFECTED THE HARBOUR AREA IN THE MORNING. AN OIL TANKER RAN AGROUND IN FOGGY WEATHER NEAR JUNK ISLAND. AIR TRAFFIC WAS ALSO DISRUPTED AS A RESULT OF POOR VISIBILITY.
MORNING FOG ON APRIL 10 GAVE WAY ΤΟ BRIGHTER WEATHER DURING THE DAY. TEMPERATURES ROSE BY SEVERAL DEGREES AS A WARM SOUTHERLY AIRSTREAM BECAME ESTABLISHED.
THE WEATHER FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS REMAINED GENERALLY FINE AND WARM EXCEPT FOR SOME MORNING AND EVENING MIST. AN EASTERLY INTERLUDE ON APRIL 14 BROUGHT COOLER AND GENERALLY MISTY CONDITIONS.
THE TEMPERATURE SOON RECOVERED OVER THE NEXT FOUR DAYS BUT THE VISIBILITY REMAINED POOR AT TIMES, PARTICULARLY OVER OFFSHORE AREAS.
ANOTHER SURGE OF THE WINTER MONSOON IN THE MORNING OF APRIL 19 BROUGHT FRESH NORTHEASTERLY WINDS AND COOLER CONDITIONS. THE WEATHER BECAME CLOUDY WITH PATCHES OF LIGHT RAIN.
/THE RAIN