XN000022-1972-11-18 — Page 4

Saturday, November 18, 1972

THE WEATHER FOR OCTOBER

The weather during last month was warmer and drier than usual and the mean maximum temperature of 28.6°C was the fifth highest on record for October. The total rainfall for the month was 63 per cent below average.

The weather in Hong Kong was generally fine at the beginning

of the month. On October 1, tropical depression Lorna developed in the South China Sea about 330 miles south of Hong Kong and intensified rapidly to a tropical storm on the same day.

It moved rapidly west-northwestwards and brought scattered showers on October 2. Lorna crossed Hainan Island that evening and dissipated over North Vietnam the following day.

On October 3, pressure rose over China and a cold front passed through Hong Kong in the morning, resulting in a freshening of winds from

the north.

The Strong Monsoon Signal was hoisted at 9.00 p.m. on the same day and lowered at 6.30 a.m. the next morning. On October 4 the relative humidity fell to 36 per cent the minimum recorded

+

for the month.

From October 4 to 9, the weather was fine and warm but another surge of cold air arrived from the north early on October 11, causing coaler conditions and light rain during the next three days.

There was