XN000022-1980-05-10 — Page 5

SATURDAY, MAY 10, 1980

LESS SUNSHINE IN APRIL

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APRIL WAS CLOUDIER BUT DRIER THAN USUAL, ACCORDING TO THE MONTHLY WEATHER SUMMARY RELEASED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY TODAY.

FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH, THERE WERE ONLY 95.4 HOURS OF SUNSHINE, WHICH WAS 23.9 HOURS LESS THAN USUAL.

THE MONTH'S TEMPERATURES AND HUMIDITIES ON THE WHOLE WERE NEAR AVERAGE.

TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTED TO 120.1 MM. OR 15.2 MM LESS THAN NORMAL, BRINGING THE ACCUMULATED RAINFALL FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR TO THE END OF THE MONTH TO 255.8 MM, JUST ONE PER CENT BELOW AVERAGE.

A PERIOD OF FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WERE EXPERIENCED OFF-SHORE EARLY ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 1 SHORTLY AFTER THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT.

DURING THE FOLLOWING THREE DAYS, THE WEATHER BECAME SLIGHTLY COOLER AND CONDITIONS REMAINED CLOUDY WITH A FEW LIGHT RAIN PATCHES.

MIST AND FOG WERE EXPERIENCED ON APRIL 5 UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A HUMID AND MOIST AIRSTREAM FROM THE PACIFIC. THE LOWEST VISIBILITIES REPORTED AT WAGLAND ISLAND, CHEK LAP KOK AND KAI TAK AIRPORT WERE 100 800 AND 1 800 METRES RESPECTIVELY.

THE WEATHER WAS FINE ON APRIL 6 BUT THE PASSAGE OF A WEAK COLD FRONT ON THE EARLY MORNING OF APRIL 7 BROUGHT THE RETURN OF CLOUDY CONDITIONS WITH SOME RAIN.

ANOTHER COLD FRONT PASSED THROUGH HONG KONG OVERNIGHT ON APRIL 9 AND GAVE RISE TO A PERIOD OF FRESH TO STRONG EASTERLY WINDS WHICH PERSISTED UNTIL THE MORNING OF APRIL 11.

IT REMAINED CLOUDY WITH LIGHT RAIN BUT SHOWERS BEGAN TO DEVELOP IN THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 12.

AN INTENSE COLD FRONT COUPLED WITH TROUGHS IN THE UPPER- ATMOSPHERE ARRIVED IN THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 13 AND BROUGHT WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY SHOWERS. THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY RECORDED 57.8 MM OF RAIN BETWEEN 4 PM AND 6 PM WHEN THE DOWNPOUR WAS HEAVIEST. FLOODING WAS REPORTED AT MANY LOCATIONS AND A LANDSLIP WAS REPORTED IN TUEN MUN.

A MAN WAS ELECTROCUTED WHEN HE STEPPED ONTO A LEAKY CABLE HIDDEN IN A PUDDLE OF WATER. THREE PICNICKERS SEEKING SHELTER UNDER A BRIDGE NEAR JUBILEE RESERVOIR WERE NEARLY WASHED AWAY BY A FLASH FLOOD.

DRIER AND COOLER CONDITIONS RETURNED WHEN STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT SET IN DURING THE EVENING.

WEATHER IMPROVED ON APRIL 14 AND THE FOLLOWING SIX DAYS WERE MAINLY FINE. THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH WAS 14.4 DEGREES CELSIUS, RECORDED ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 15.

MIST AND