XN000022-1992-05-12 — Page 14

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WEATHER OF APRIL

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TUESDAY, MAY 12, 1992

PROLONGED HEAVY DOWNPOURS AFFECTED HONG KONG LAST MONTH.

RAIN, THE MONTHLY RAINFALL TOTAL MAKING THE MONTH THE

AS A RESULT OF TORRENTIAL ROSE TO A RECORD HIGH OF 492.2 MILLIMETRES, WETTEST APRIL SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1884.

THE ACCUMULATED RAINFALL FOR THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS THIS YEAR AMOUNTED TO 917.4 MILLIMETRES, BREAKING THE RECORD FOR THE PERIOD LAST SET IN 1983 WHEN 916.4 MILLIMETRES WERE RECORDED.

MOST OF THE RAIN FELL IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE MONTH.

RAIN WAS HEAVIEST ON APRIL 10, WITH A TOTAL OF MILLIMETRES, WHICH WAS THE SECOND HIGHEST ON RECORD FOR A IN APRIL.

THERE WERE ONLY A FEW BRIEF GLIMPSES OF THE SUN IN HALF OF THE MONTH AND THE TOTAL DURATION OF SUNSHINE IN LESS THAN 70% OF NORMAL.

160.7 SINGLE DAY

THE FIRST APRIL WAS

TO 11

BROADLY SPEAKING, THE RAIN EPISODE LASTING FROM APRIL 3 OCCURRED AT A TIME WHEN TWO DIFFERENT AIR MASSES, A COOLER ONE FROM INLAND CHINA AND A WARMER ONE WITH MARITIME ORIGIN, MET ALONG THE COAST OF GUANGDONG NEAR HONG KONG.

THE MONTH STARTED OFF FOGGY WITH LIGHT RAIN ON APRIL 1.

THE VISIBILITY FELL TO 100 METRES INSIDE THE HARBOUR IN THE MORNING AND LED TO THE DISRUPTION OF HOVER FERRY SERVICES TO THE OUTLYING ISLANDS.

THE ONSET OF EASTERLIES GRADUALLY LIFTED THE FOG THE FOLLOWING DAY BUT OVERCAST SKIES PERSISTED.

AFTER THE FRESHENING OF THE COOLER EASTERLIES OVERNIGHT, THE MORNING MINIMUM ON APRIL 3 DROPPED TO 17.4 DEGREES, THE LOWEST RECORDED IN THE MONTH.

THE PASSAGE OF AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS THEN BROUGHT HEAVY RAIN TO HONG KONG THAT EVENING, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF A PROLONGED WET SPELL.

AFTER A BRIGHT START ON APRIL 4 (CHING MING FESTIVAL), HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND THUNDERSTORMS RETURNED IN THE LATE AFTERNOON.

5 PM.

HAIL WAS REPORTED AT CAUSEWAY BAY AND POKFULAM VILLAGE ABOUT

ANOTHER FOUR RAINY DAYS FOLLOWED WITH TWO REPLENISHMENTS THE NORTHEAST MONSOON REACHING THE TERRITORY ON APRIL 5 AND 8.

OF

/FLOODS, LANDSLIPS