XN000022-1978-07-11 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JULY 11, 1978'

WEATHER IN JUNE

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DRIEST IN 15 YEARS

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LAST MONTH WAS THE DRIEST JUNE IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, ACCORDING TO THE MONTHLY WEATHER SUMMARY ISSUED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY TODAY.

THE TOTAL RAINFALL RECORDED DURING THE MONTH AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY WAS 242.4 MM WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT HALF OF THE NORMAL FIGURE. HOWEVER RAINFALL IN TAI PO AREA WAS PARTICULARLY HEAVY WITH MORE THAN 700 MM RECORDED.

THE MONTH WAS ALSO SUNNY AND HOT WITH THE MEAN MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 31.4 DEGREES - THE THIRD HIGHEST ON RECORD FOR JUNE, WHILE THE MEAN TEMPERATURE OF 28.4 DEGREES AND THE MEAN MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 26.3 DEGREES WERE BOTH THE FIFTH HIGHEST FOR JUNE.

DURING THE MONTH THREE TROPICAL CYCLONES WERE REPORTED OVER THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA BUT NONE OF THEM CAME NEAR HONG KONG.

A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE STAYED OVER THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DURING THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS OF THE MONTH AND THE WEATHER IN HONG KONG WAS MAINLY CLOUDY WITH OCCASIONAL HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.

FLOODINGS WERE REPORTED IN SOME PLACES DURING THE PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN,

FROM JUNE 9 TO 14 THE WEATHER BECAME BRILLIANTLY FINE AND SUNNY AS SOUTH CHINA WAS COVERED BY A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE FROM THE PACIFIC. BUT ON JUNE 15 AND 16 A WEAK TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE APPROACHED HONG KONG AND THE WEATHER WAS CLOUDY WITH SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.

THE WEATHER IMPROVED DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND ON THE AFTERNOON OF JUNE 20, THE TEMPERATURE ROSE TO A MAXIMUM OF 33.4 DEGREES, THE HIGHEST RECORDED SINCE SEPTEMBER 19 LAST YEAR.

CONDITIONS BECAME CLOUDY ON JUNE 21 AND SOME LIGHT SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE REPORTED DURING THE FOLLOWING THREE DAYS. SHOWERS BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND HEAVIER BETWEEN JUNE 25 AND 27 WHEN THE SUMMER MONSOON BECAME ACTIVE OVER THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

STRONG SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS WERE EXPERIENCED ON JUNE 26 AND 27 AND THE STRONG MONSOON SIGNAL REMAINED HOISTED FOR 34 HOURS. A WATERSPOUT WAS SIGHTED OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF HONG KONG ISLAND ABOUT 4 P.M. ON JUNE 27.

A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE COVERED SOUTH CHINA DURING THE LAST THREE DAYS OF THE MONTH AND THE WEATHER IN HONG KONG WAS FINE AND SUNNY.

DURING THE MONTH NO AIRCRAFT WERE DIVERTED FROM HONG KONG DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER AND NO FIRE DANGER WARNINGS WERE ISSUED.

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