XN000022-1983-02-24 — Page 7

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1983

.

6

-

UNUSUALLY WET JANUARY

****

LAST MONTH'S TOTAL RAINFALL OF 76.3 MM WAS THREE TIMES THE AVERAGE FIGURE AND WAS THE SEVENTH HIGHEST ON RECORD FOR JANUARY, ACCORDING TO THE MONTH'S WEATHER SUMMARY ISSUED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY TODAY (THURSDAY).

THE SUNSHINE DURATION OF 75 HOURS WAS THE FIFTH LOWEST ON RECORD FOR JANUARY, MAKING THE MONTH COOLER THAN NORMAL.

THE WEATHER WAS CLOUDY AND MILD ON NEW YEAR'S DAY, AND THE TEMPERATURE OF 21.1 DEGREES CELSIUS RECORDED IN THE AFTERNOON WAS THE HIGHEST DURING THE MONTH.

THE WEATHER BECAME FINE AND COOLER THE FOLLOWING DAY BUT TURNED CLOUDY AS EASTERLY WINDS STRENGTHENED OFFSHORE DURING THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 3.

WINDS BECAME STRONG IN THE HARBOUR ON JANUARY 4 AND MAXIMUM GUSTS OF 43 KNOTS WERE RECORDED AT THE STAR FERRY PIER IN KOWLOON.

FROM JANUARY 4, THE WEATHER WAS GENERALLY RAINY FOR THREE DAYS, EXCEPT FOR SOME SUNNY INTERVALS ON JANUARY 6.

NORTHERLY WINDS AND MORE RAIN FOLLOWED ON JANUARY 7 AS A SURGE OF THE WINTER MONSOON ARRIVED LATE THAT DAY.

TEMPERATURES FELL CONSIDERABLY ON JANUARY 8 AND THE WEATHER REMAINED COLD AND CLOUDY UNTIL JANUARY 13.

ON JANUARY 14 AND 15 THE WEATHER BECAME FINE AND WARMER BUT CLOUDY CONDITIONS RETURNED ON JANUARY 16, FOLLOWED BY RAIN IN THE MORNING OF JANUARY 17.

MIST OCCURRED EARLY ON JANUARY 18 BUT WAS CLEARED BY A SURGE OF THE WINTER MONSOON LATER THE SAME DAY.

WINDS TURNED NORTHERLY ON JANUARY 18 AND STRENGTHENED IN THE MORNING OF JANUARY 19. TEMPERATURES DROPPED TO 10 DEGREES

CELSIUS AND THERE WAS SOME RAIN.

NORTHERLY WINDS PERSISTED FROM JANUARY 20 TO 24 AND THE WEATHER REMAINED COLD AND DRY, WITH TEMPERATURES DROPPING BELOW 10 DEGREES CELSIUS DURING THE PERIOD.

A 52-YEAR-OLD STREET SLEEPER WAS REPORTED TO HAVE DIED

ON JANUARY 20 BECAUSE OF THE COLD WEATHER.

THE MONTH'S LOWEST TEMPERATURE OF 7.1 DEGREES CELSIUS WAS RECORDED ON JANUARY 22 AND A MINIMUM OF -1 DEGREE CELSIUS WAS RECORDED AT TAI MO SHAN THE SAME MORNING.

THE WEATHER IMPROVED ON JANUARY 23 AND BECAME SUNNY ON JANUARY 24 AND 25.

A MINIMUM