17
The weather of November
November 1995 was dry with only 1.8 millimetres of rainfall recorded against a normal of 35.1 millimetres. Despite this, the accumulated rainfall since January 1 amounted to 2746.5 millimetres, 26 per cent above the normal for the same period.
The monthly mean relative humidity was only 64 per cent, five per cent below normal. The Fire Danger Warnings had to be issued for 19 days in the month.
Under the influence of a continental airstream, November started fine and dry. The first day of the month happened to be the Chung Yeung Festival, and about 160 cases of hill fire were reported. Fine weather prevailed until November 5 when the outer rainbands associated with Severe Tropical Storm Angela, moving over the South China Sea towards Hainan, began to affect local areas.
A dry surge arrived on the afternoon of November 7 and winds strengthened from the north. The dry air gradually cleared the clouds and temperatures climbed to 27.9 degrees, the highest of the month, on November 10.
An easterly airstream arrived on November 11. Although it brought more clouds to the territory, the air was still relatively dry and firemen had to fight a hill fire at Kowloon Peak for 20 hours on November 12.
A surge of the winter monsoon arrived from the north on November 14, bringing cooler air to the territory. Local winds strengthened and there was light rain during the night.
Between November 16 and 25, the weather was marked by long sunny periods. Strong northerly winds accompanied by cool and dry air reached the territory on November 23. A scaffolding was brought down in Tsim Sha Tsui in the afternoon.
The relative humidity dropped to only 17 per cent, the lowest on record for November, on the afternoon of November 24. Temperatures at the Royal Observatory dropped to 13.9 degrees, the lowest for the month, on the morning of the following day. Temperatures at Ta Kwu Ling on that morning were even lower with a minimum of only 4.5 degrees.
Cloud amount increased again on November 26 as easterly winds replaced the northerlies and gave rise to some light rain patches on November 28 and 30.
There were four tropical cyclones over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in the month of November.