XN000022-1983-01-24 — Page 3

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MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1983

A COLD FRONT ARRIVED ON DECEMBER 5 BRINGING SOME LIGHT RAIN, AND STRONG EASTERLY WINDS WERE EXPERIENCED IN OFF-SHORE AREAS FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

THEY GAVE WAY TO STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS AS THE COLD FRONT MOVED INTO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA EARLY ON DECEMBER 6.

THE WEATHER REMAINED CLOUDY UNTIL THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 8.

THE WEATHER WAS FINE FROM DECEMBER 9 TO 11.

HOWEVER, ANOTHER COLD FRONT ARRIVED ON DECEMBER 11 AND WINDS BECAME FRESH TO STRONG NORTHERLY IN THE EVENING.

THE WEATHER BECAME CLOUDY WITH SOME LIGHT RAIN THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHILE TEMPERATURES DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY.

TEMPERATURES FELL TO BELOW 10 DEGREE CELSIUS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE YEAR ON DECEMBER 14 WHILE THE WEATHER TURNED FINE.

IT WAS CLOUDY ON DECEMBER 15 BUT FINE WEATHER SET IN THE FOLLOWING DAY AND PERSISTED UNTIL DECEMBER 22.

A SURGE OF THE WINTER MONSOON ARRIVED IN THE AFTERNOON OF DECEMBER 16 AND NORTHERLY WINDS BECAME STRONG OFF SHORE AND IN OTHER EXPOSED LOCATIONS AROUND MIDNIGHT.

TEMPERATURES DROPPED APPRECIABLY ON THE FOLLOWING TWO DAYS AND WERE ONCE AGAIN BELOW 10 DEGREE CELSIUS ON DECEMBER 18.

THIS COLD SPELL REPORTEDLY CLAIMED THREE LIVES, ONE IN TAI WO PING AND TWO IN YUEN LONG.

THE WEATHER BECAME CLOUDY ON DECEMBER 23 WHEN WINDS FRESHENED FROM THE EAST. IT REMAINED CLOUDY WITH SUNNY INTERVALS ON DECEMBER 24 AND 25.

AN INTENSE COLD SURGE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG IN THE AFTERNOON OF DECEMBER 25.

STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS WITH FREQUENT GUSTS OF OVER 40 KNOTS WERE EXPERIENCED IN EXPOSED PLACES ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 25 AND IN THE EARLY HOURS OF DECEMBER 26. DURING THIS PERIOD, A CHINESE FISHING JUNK SANK IN ROUGH SEAS NEAR WAGLAN ISLAND AND A BARGE CAPSIZED NEAR TELEGRAPH BAY. IN THE AFTERNOON OF DECEMBER 26 A SPEED BOAT OVERTURNED NEAR MA WAN. EIGHT PERSONS WERE DROWNED IN THESE

INCIDENTS.

THE WEATHER BECAME FINE AND DRY ON DECEMBER 26.

TEMPERATURES ON DECEMBER 27 DROPPED TO 8.9 DEGREE CELSIUS,

THE LOWEST FOR THE YEAR.

IT WAS COLD AT NIGHT BETWEEN DECEMBER 26 AND 29 AND HOAR FROST WAS REPORTED ON TAI MO SHAN AND IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES.

/ON DECEMBER