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The weather of April
There was less than normal rainfall in April. The monthly rainfall of 76.3 millimetres was 53 per cent below the average for April. The total rainfall in the first four months amounted to 162.9 millimetres, 46 per cent below the normal of 299.8 millimetres for the same period.
On the whole April was a little warmer than normal with a mean air temperature of 22.5 degrees. The heavy rain on April 19 necessitated the issuance of the flood warning for the first time this year.
Under the influence of the northeast monsoon, the first two days of the month were cloudy and cool with rain. Winds strengthened on April 3 and there were periods of rain. Temperatures dropped to the month's lowest of 14.5 degrees early that morning. There was no rain in the next couple of days but the weather remained
overcast.
As winds became light on April 6 and 7, the weather turned humid with mist and rain patches. Apart from some morning fog, it was warm with sunny periods from April 8 to 10. A collision between two Taiwan cargo vessels occurred in poor visibility about 12 kilometres southeast of Waglan Island on April 11. One crewman died and four others were reported missing in the incident.
In the next couple of days, it was generally cloudy with morning mist. With the arrival of a warm southerly airstream, the daily minimum temperature on April 14 rose by more than five degrees as compared to that of the previous day. The weather remained warm with long periods of sunshine from April 15 to 18.
A very active trough of low pressure traversed the south China coast on the evening of April 19 and brought heavy, thundery and squally showers to the territory. Between 6 and 7 pm on that day, over 60 millimetres were recorded in the northeastern part of the New Territories. Hail was also reported in Tai Po. Forty-three cases of flooding were reported in the territory. There was also a landslide at Tai Wo Ping.