XN000022-1983-04-24 — Page 8

SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 1983

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HAILSTONE RECORD SET IN MARCH

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HAIL OCCURRED ON FIVE DAYS LAST MONTH, THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY REPORTS. THIS IS THE HIGHEST FREQUENCY OF HAIL EVER RECORDED IN HONG KONG.

ON ONE OCCASION, WHEN A COLD FRONT FROM CHINA CROSSED HONG KONG ON MARCH 1 AND BROUGHT FREQUENT THUNDERSTORMS, HAILSTONES MEASURING 25 MM IN DIAMETER WERE OBSERVED BY RESIDENTS ON LANTAU

ISLAND.

THEN, THE NEXT DAY (MARCH 2) HAILSTONES THE SIZE OF BEANS+ WERE REPORTED TO HAVE FALLEN IN MONG KOK EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND IN KOWLOON TONG AT ABOUT NOON. HAILSTONES ALSO FELL ON MARCH 12, 25 AND 26.

IN ADDITION TO THE HAILSTONE PHENOMENON, LAST MONTH WAS THE WETTEST MARCH SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1884, WITH RAINFALL OF 428 MM, NEARLY EIGHT TIMES THE NORMAL OF ABOUT 55 MM.

AND ITS TEN DAYS OF THUNDERSTORMS RECORDED WERE A RECORD SINCE 1947.

THE ACCUMULATED RAINFALL OF 745.3 MM FROM JANUARY 1 TO THE END OF MARCH CAME TO 34 PER CENT OF THE AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL OF 2 224.7 MM.

THE DURATION OF SUNSHINE FOR THE MONTH WAS 33.3 HOURS, WHICH WAS 68.1 PER CENT BELOW NORMAL AND THE SEVENTH LOWEST ON RECORD FOR MARCH. AND, THE TOTAL SUNSHINE DURATION FROM JANUARY 1 TO MARCH 31 AMOUNTED ONLY TO 144.8 HOURS, THE LOWEST ON RECORD.

THE MONTH BEGAN WITH AN ACTIVE COLD FRONT ACROSS SOUTH CHINA CAUSING WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE COASTAL REGION.

AROUND 3 AM ON MARCH 1, A CHINESE RIVER FERRY, THE +RED STAR 312+, CAPSIZED IN SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS NEAR SANSHUI, ABOUT 86 NAUTICAL MILES NORTHWEST OF HONG KONG. ABOUT 150 PASSENGERS ON BOARD WERE DROWNED.

THE COLD FRONT CROSSED HONG KONG DURING THE MORNING AND BROUGHT FREQUENT THUNDERSTORMS, AS WELL AS HAIL ON THAT DAY AND THE NEXT. SOME LANDSLIPS OCCURRED IN NGAU TAU KOK AND ON TSING YI ISLAND, AND FLOODING WAS REPORTED IN TUEN MUN.

THE WEATHER IMPROVED ON MARCH 3 BUT SOME MIST DEVELOPED IN THE AFTERNOON.

A SURGE OF THE WINTER MONSOON ARRIVED EARLY ON MARCH 4, BRINGING NORTHERLY WINDS, SOME SHOWERS AND COOLER WEATHER.

NORTHERLY WINDS STRENGTHENED IN THE NIGHT AND GUSTS OF 64 KNOTS WERE RECORDED AT TATE'S CAIRN.

NORTHERLY WINDS MODERATED THE NEXT DAY AND THERE WERE SUNNY PERIODS ON MARCH 5 AND 6.

/EARLY ON