XN000022-1990-05-10 — Page 24

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THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1990

GLOOMY AND WET IN APRIL

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IN CONTRAST TO MARCH, THE WEATHER IN APRIL WAS GLOOMY AND WET, WITH THE LONG SPELL OF CLOUDS, MIST AND RAIN NOT BROKEN UNTIL TOWARDS THE THE END OF THE MONTH, ACCORDING TO THE MONTHLY REPORT RELEASED BY ROYAL OBSERVATORY TODAY (THURSDAY).

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PERIODS OF BRIGHT SUNSHINE FOR THE WHOLE MONTH ADDED UP TO 73.8 HOURS ONLY THE 10TH LOWEST ON RECORD FOR APRIL. THERE WERE ONLY THREE DAYS IN THE MONTH WHEN NO RAINFALL WAS RECORDED AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY.

THE MONTHLY TOTAL RAINFALL OF 257.6 MILLIMETRES WAS 85 PER CENT ABOVE THE NORMAL OF 139.4 MILLIMETRES.

THE ACCUMULATED RAINFALL SINCE JANUARY 1, 1990 AMOUNTED TO

TWICE THE NORMAL 530.7 MILLIMETRES. NOT ONLY WAS THIS MORE THAN

OF 263.0 MILLIMETRES FOR THE SAME PERIOD, IT WAS ALSO THE 10TH WETTEST ON RECORD FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF THE YEAR.

THE TWO MAJOR RAIN EPISODES OCCURRED ON APRIL 3, 4 AND 9 TO 11. ON THE LATTER OCCASION, SEVERE SQUALLS ACCOMPANYING THE HEAVY

APRIL 11 DOWNPOUR ON THE MORNING OF

BROUGHT GUSTS OF UP ΤΟ 135 KILOMETRES PER HOUR AT WAGLAN ISLAND. THIS WAS THE STRONGEST GUST EVER RECORDED AT THAT STATION IN THE MONTH OF APRIL.

WITH A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE HOVERING OVER GUANGDONG PROVINCE, IN THE THE WEATHER WAS GENERALLY CLOUDY ON THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS MONTH. THE PASSAGE OF SOME ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS BROUGHT MORE SIGNIFICANT RAIN ON THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 1.

MORNING FOG, ORIGINALLY CONFINED ΤΟ OFFSHORE AREAS, SPREAD FURTHER INSIDE THE HARBOUR EARLY ON APRIL 3. THE WEATHER DETERIORATED THAT EVENING AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHED FROM THE NORTH.

THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT THAT NIGHT BROUGHT PERIODS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE RAIN EASED OFF THE NEXT VISIBILITY ALSO IMPROVED.

RAIN

OF HEAVY AND DAY

HOWEVER, THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED MARKEDLY AS A COOL NORTHERLY

TEMPERATURE OF 16.9 AIRSTREAM SET IN. THE MINIMUM

DEGREES ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 5 WAS THE LOWEST FOR THE MONTH.

WITH WINDS TURNING EASTERLY AND MODERATING, BRIGHTER PERIODS FRESHENING OF THE APPEARED DURING THE DAY ON APRIL 6 AND 7. AFTER A

UNSETTLED EASTERLIES LATER ON APRIL 8, CONDITIONS BECAME INCREASINGLY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS AS UPPER ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCES GREW ACTIVE.

AND OUTBREAK OF HEAVY RAIN

THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED LATER ON APRIL 9. THE FINE SKY THE MORNING AFTER TURNED OUT TO BE ONLY A SHORT RESPITE AHEAD OF EVEN MORE SEVERE WEATHER.

/RAIN AND........