XN000022-1977-08-10 — Page 25

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1977

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SEPARATE RAINFALL REPORTS NOT POSSIBLE

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THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. THE HON. G. BARNES SAID IT WOULD NOT AT PRESENT BE POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE SEPARATE DAILY AVERAGE RAINFALL REPORTS FOR HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON AND THE RESERVOIR CATCHMENT AREAS BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH MONITOR ING STATIONS TO PRODUCE SEPARATE MEANINGFUL AVERAGE RAINFALL FIGURES IN BROADER AREAS.

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

MR. BARNES SAID THE DAILY RAINFALL MEASUREMENTS USED IN WEATHER REPORTS ARE TAKEN AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY ITSELF.

+THESE ARE SUPPLEMENTED, WHERE NECESSARY, BY REPORTS FROM A LIMITED NUMBER OF OTHER STATIONS, AND WHERE THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AMOUNTS REPORTED, REFERENCE TO THIS IS OCCASIONALLY INCLUDED IN WEATHER BULLETINS.+

MR. BARNES ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THERE IS A SYSTEM OF REPORTING FROM OVER 100 RAINFALL STATIONS AROUND HONG KONG MANNED BY VOLUNTEERS WHO MAIL THE RESULTS OF THE IR OBSERVATIONS TO THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY MONTHLY.

+THIS DATA IS CHECKED AND ANALYSED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, AND A CHART SHOWING THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF RAINFALL IS PUBLISHED IN THE OBSERVATORY'S MONTHLY WEATHER SUMMARY. THE SUMMARY IS AVAILABLE ON SUBSCRIPTION, AND IS SUPPLIED TO THE PRESS, + ADDED MR. BARNES.

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