XN000022-1989-06-13 — Page 14

TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1989

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THIS BROUGHT THE TOTAL RAINFALL SINCE JANUARY то 1,047.4 MILLIMETRES, WHICH IS 87 PER CENT ABOVE THE NORMAL AMOUNT OF 561.1 MILLIMETRES AND THE NINTH HIGHEST ON RECORD FOR THE PERIOD FROM JANUARY TO MAY.

MOST OF THE RAIN IN MAY WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH AND TYPHOON BRENDA WHICH AFFECTED THE SOUTH CHINA COASTAL AREAS FROM HAY 19 ΤΟ 21. ON MAY 2, 104.8 MILLIMETRES OF RAIN FELL BETWEEN NOON AND I PM. THIS AMOUNT IS THE HIGHEST HOURLY RAINFALL EVER RECORDED FOR MAY. IT IS ALSO THE SECOND HIGHEST ON RECORD, JUST 3.4 MILLIMETRES LESS THAN THE HIGHEST RECORDED ON JUNE 12, 1966.

THE DAILY TOTAL RAINFALL OF 322.8 MILLIMETRES ON MAY 20 ASSOCIATED WITH TYPHOON BRENDA IS THE SECOND HIGHEST DAILY RAINFALL ON RECORD FOR MAY AND THE EIGHTH HIGHEST FOR ALL MONTIS.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF AN ACTIVE TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WHICH LINGERED OVER THE COASTAL AREAS OF GUANGDONG, A SQUALL LINE WITH INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS PASSED THROUGH HONG KONG IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON ON MAY 1. HAIL WITH DIAMETERS OF LESS THAN A CENTIMETRE WAS REPORTED AT TUEN MUN.

THE WEATHER DETERIORATED FURTHER THE NEXT DAY. THE HEAVIEST DOWNPOUR OCCURRED OVER A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD AROUND NOON TIME OVER MOST OF THE URBAN AREAS.

THE HEAVY RAIN RESULTED IN WIDESPREAD FLOODING AND LANDSLIPS OVER THE TERRITORY, BRINGING SEVERE DISRUPTIONS TO ROAD, RAIL AND AIR TRANSPORT. A MAN WAS REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED BY LIGHTNING WHILE TWO OTHER PEOPLE WERE DROWNED.

ALTHOUGH RAIN PERSISTED FOR ANOTHER TWO DAYS, AND FREQUENCY GRADUALLY DECREASED AS THE TROUGH SOUTHWARDS TO THE NORTHERN PART OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

THE INTENSITY MOVED SLOWLY

OVER SOUTHERN

WITH A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE ESTABLISHING CHINA, WEATHER BECAME MAINLY FINE ON MAY 5 APART FROM SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS. GENERALLY FINE CONDITIONS PERSISTED FOR THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS. WINDS ALSO TURNED FROM EASTERLY TO SOUTHERLY BY MAY 9, BRINGING WARM MARITIME AIR TO THE COASTAL AREAS.

DURING THIS PERIOD, TEMPERATURES WERE ON THE RISING TREND THE DAYTIME MAXIMUM REACHING 31 DEGREES CELSIUS ON MAY 11, HIGHEST FOR THE MONTH.

VERY

WITH

THE

ON

THE ARRIVAL OF A LATE-SEASON SURGE OF THE NORTHEAST MONSOON MAY 13 BROUGHT AN END TO THE PERIOD OF HOT WEATEHR. TEMPERATURES DROPPED MARKEDLY AND THE MINIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 20.9 DEGREES ON THE MORNING OF MAY 14 WAS THE LOWEST RECORDED FOR THE MONTH. THE WEATHER BETWEEN MAY 13 AND 15 WAS GENERALLY CLOUDY WITH SOME LIGHT RAIN.

WITH THE NORTHEAST MONSOON SUBSIDING, WARMER AND BRIGHTER CONDITIONS RETURNED ON MAY 16. GENERALLY FINE WEATHER CONTINUED FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS APART FROM SHOWERS ON THE MORNING OF MAY 17 ASSOCIATED WITH THE PASSAGE OF A WEAK TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE.

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