XN000022-1986-04-13 — Page 6

SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 1986

5

COLDEST DAY REWRITES RECORD FOR MARCH

***

THE FIRST DAY OF MARCH THIS YEAR WAS THE COLDEST DAY IN MARCH SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1884, WITH THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 4.8 DEGREES CELSIUS BEING 1.4 DEGREES LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS RECORD SET ON MARCH 5, 1936, THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY REPORTED.

THE MONTH ON THE WHOLE WAS UNUSUALLY FOGGY AND BOTH

SEA AND AIR TRAFFIC WAS FREQUENTLY DISRUPTED.

THE LONGEST SPELL OF NINE CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF FOG IN HONG KONG EQUALLED RECORDS SET IN 1980 AND 1984.

COASTAL FOG WAS EXPERIENCED ON 15 DAYS DURING THE MONTH AND THIS RECORD WAS ONLY MATCHED IN MARCH 1980.

A VERY INTENSE SURGE OF WINTER MONSOON WHICH ARRIVED ON FEBRUARY 27 CONTINUED INTO EARLY MARCH. WEATHER ON THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF THE MONTH WAS VERY COLD WITH LIGHT RAIN AND STRONG NORTHERLY WINDS OFFSHORE AND IN EXPOSED PLACES.

THE TEMPERATURE FELL TO 4.8 DEGREES CELSIUS AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY IN THE AFTERNOON ON MARCH 1, THE LOWEST EVER RECORDED FOR MARCH.

HOAR FROST WAS REPORTED AT TAI MO SHAN AND TATE'S CAIRN ON THESE TWO DAYS AND TEMPERATURES THERE DROPPED TO MINUS FOUR DEGREES CELSIUS AND MINUS 0.5 DEGREE CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY ON MARCH 2.

TWO OLD MEN, BOTH IN THEIR SEVENTIES, DIED DURING THIS COLD SPELL WHICH LASTED TILL MARCH 5.

AS WINDS MODERATED, THE WEATHER TURNED FINE AND SUNNY ON MARCH 3 AND THE GENERAL FINE WEATHER CONTINUED UP TO MARCH 9.

A WARM AND MOIST SOUTHEASTERLY AIRSTREAM BROUGHT CLOUDY WEATHER WITH A TRACE OF RAIN AND COASTAL FOG ON MARCH 10.

COASTAL FOG CONTINUED THE NEXT DAY BUT IT WAS SUNNY IN THE AFTERNOON.

HUMID AND CLOUDY WEATHER PREVAILED FROM MARCH 13 TO 21 WITH MIST AND COASTAL FOG OCCURRING EVERY DAY. THERE WAS ALSO OCCASIONAL LIGHT RAIN.

/THE TEMPERATURE