16.
Northerly winds took over from November 9 and it became cloudy on November 11. Light rain patches affected the territory the next couple of days. With winter monsoon intensifying over China coupled with the effect of Tropical Depression Ernie over the northern part of the South China Sea, local winds started to strengthen from the east on the evening of November 13. The sky cleared on November 14 but clouds returned the next day and there were light rain patches on November 16.
A dry northerly surge of the winter monsoon reached the south China coastal area on November 17. Winds were strong offshore on November 17 and 18. Several cases of hill fire were reported. The minimum temperature recorded on the morning of November 18, 16.3 degrees, was the lowest for the month.
While conditions remained quite dry, winds gradually turned to the east on November 20. Easterly winds and generally fine and dry weather prevailed from November 21 until November 29.
A cold front crossed the south China coast on the afternoon of November 29 bringing drier and cooler northerly winds to the territory on the last day of the month.
Five tropical cyclones occurred in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in the month. Details of the issuance/hoisting and cancellation/lowering of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal of November are tabulated in Table 2.
Warnings/Signals
Table 1 Warnings and Signals in November 1996
Strong Monsoon Signals
Fire Danger Warnings
Yellow
Effective date and time
2 Nov 1420- 4 Nov 1030 14 Nov 0130 - 14 Nov 0530 17 Nov 1930- 18 Nov 1135
2 Nov 0645 - 2 Nov 1800 3 Nov 0830 - 3 Nov 1800
9 Nov 0600 - 11 Nov 0600
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
17 Nov 0600- 17 Nov 1720
Red
17 Nov 1720 - 22 Nov 0600
Red
22 Nov 1035 - 23 Nov 0600
Yellow
Yellow
23 Nov 0600 - 24 Nov 1800 30 Nov 0600- 1 Dec 0545