XN000022-1979-01-15 — Page 6

MONDAY, JANUARY 15, 1979

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LAST APRIL HAD THE LARGEST NUMBER OF THUNDERSTORMS IN ANY APRIL SINCE 1926, TOTAL RAINFALL FOR THE MONTH, AMOUNTING TO 237 MM, WAS 75 PER CENT ABOVE AVERAGE.

THE MONTH OF MAY, COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS YEARS, WAS THE COOLEST AND CLOUDIEST SINCE 1972.

SUNNY AND HOT WEATHER WAS EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING MONTH MAKING IT THE DRIEST JUNE SINCE 1963. BUT EXCEPTIONAL FLOODINGS OCCURRED IN SHA TIN AND TAI PO ON JUNE 2, DISRUPTING ROAD AND RAIL TRAFFIC, AFFECTING SEVERAL VILLAGES AND KILLING 3,000 CHICKENS. A WATERSPOUT WAS SIGHTED OFF THE COAST OF SOUTHERN HONG KONG ISLAND DURING THE HEAVY SHOWERS ON JUNE 27.

JULY WAS SUNNIER AND HOTTER THAN USUAL AND MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES, EXCEEDING 33 DEGREES CELSIUS, LASTED FOR 19 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. THIS UNUSUAL HEATWAVE WAS UNPRECEDENTED

IN THE HISTORY OF THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY.

UNLIKE THE PREVIOUS MONTH, AUGUST WAS CLOUDIER AND LESS SUNNY THAN USUAL BUT THE MONTH'S RAINFALL WAS MUCH BELOW NORMAL. TWO TROPICAL CYCLONES, INCLUDING THE DAMAGING +ELAINE+, AFFECTED HONG KONG.

HOT AND SUNNY WEATHER AGAIN DEVELOPED IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER WITH BELOW AVERAGE RAINFALL.

DUE TO HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE TROPICAL STORM NINA IN OCTOBER MANY MINOR LANDSLIPS AND FLOODS WERE REPORTED. RAINFALL AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY DURING THE MONTH WAS 501.4 MM, NEARLY FIVE TIMES THE NORMAL FIGURE OF 107.2 MM AND WAS THE FOURTH HIGHEST ON RECORD FOR OCTOBER.

THE 284.4 MM OF RAINFALL RECORDED ON OCTOBER 17 WAS THE HIGHEST FIGURE FOR ANY OCTOBER DAY SINCE 1923.

THE INTENSE CONTINENTAL ANTICYCLONE OVER CHINA COMBINED WITH THREE TROPICAL CYCLONES OVER THE SOUTH CHINA SEA TO MAKE THE MONTH THE MOST WINDY OCTOBER IN RECENT YEARS.

THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 13.5 DEGREES CELSIUS ON OCTOBER 30 WAS THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED IN OCTOBER. CONDITIONS WERE DRY FROM THE 8TH TO THE 14TH.

ON OCTOBER 10, CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL, 150' FIRES WERE REPORTED. MORE THAN HALF OF THESE WERE HILL FIRES AND NEARLY 200 HECTARES OF GRASS AND TREES WERE AFFECTED.

ON OCTOBER 28 STRONG TO GALE FORCE WINDS OF TYPHOON RITA OVERTURNED SEVERAL SMALL BOATS AND ALSO SERIOUSLY AFFECTED AIR TRAFFIC.

THE MAINLY FINE AND MILD NOVEMBER WAS SAID TO BE FAIRLY NORMAL AND SEASONABLE. MILD AND FINE WEATHER AGAIN DEVELOPED IN DECEMBER, MAKING IT THE SECOND WARMEST DECEMBER SINCE 1968.

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