XN000022-1993-06-19 — Page 5

WEATHER OF MAY

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SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 1993

THE WEATHER IN MAY WAS VERY TYPICAL OF THE SEASON IN TERMS OF BOTH TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION, ACCORDING TO A MONTHLY WEATHER REPORT PUBLISHED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY TODAY (SATURDAY).

THE MONTHLY RAINFALL WAS 338.4 MILLIMETRES, JUST SEVEN PER CENT ABOVE THE MAY NORMAL OF 316.7 MILLIMETRES.

MOST OF THE RAIN WAS ASSOCIATED WITH MONSOON TROUGHS WHICH AFFECTED THE SOUTH CHINA COASTAL AREAS FROM TIME TO TIME.

THE PASSAGE OF A TROUGH ON THREE OCCASIONS IN THE FIRST HALF OF MAY WAS EACH FOLLOWED BY A WEAK SURGE OF LATE-SEASON NORTHEAST MONSOON DOWN THE TAIWAN STRAIT, WHILE A SLOW-MOVING TROUGH BROUGHT A PERIOD OF PROLONGED RAINY WEATHER TO HONG KONG IN THE SECOND HALF OF MAY,

AS A RESULT OF THE SHORTFALL IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS of

1993, THE TOTAL RAINFALL OF 558.2 MILLIMETRES SINCE JANUARY 1 REMAINED BELOW AVERAGE BY ABOUT NINE PER CENT AS COMPARED WITH THE NORMAL OF 616.5 MILLIMETRES FOR THE PERIOD.

WITH A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FORMING OVER GUANGDONG AND MOVING SOUTH TOWARDS THE COAST, MAY STARTED WITH A DELUGE WHICH LED ΤΟ 51 CASES OF FLOODING AND NINE REPORTS OF LANDSLIPS OVER THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF THE MONTH.

THE HEAVIEST DOWNPOUR OCCURRED IN THE TSUEN WAN AND SHA TIN AREAS WHERE OVER 200 MILLIMETRES OF RAIN WAS RECORDED DURING THE PERIOD. THERE WERE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS ON THE EARLY MORNING ON MAY 1 AND AGAIN ON THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 2.

FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE AND WEAKENING OF THE TROUGH, RAIN EASED OFF EARLY ON MAY 3. TOWARDS THE EVENING, EASTERLY WINDS FRESHENED BROUGHT SOME LIGHT RAIN.

AND

CLOUDY AND HUMID CONDITIONS CONTINUED INTO THE NEXT DAY WITH RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING, MIST PATCHES IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING, AND THICK DRIZZLE THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

MAY'S LOWEST TEMPERATURE OF 20.6 DEGREES OCCURRED EARLY THAT DAY IN RAIN.

WITH WINDS TURNING SOUTHEASTERLY, RAIN BECAME LESS FREQUENT MAY 5 AND THE SUN SHONE BRIEFLY. MOIST MARITIME AIR BEGAN TO MOVE OVER THE COASTAL WATERS THAT EVENING AND FOG FORMED.

ON IN

FOR THE NEXT TWO MORNINGS, SEA FOG AFFECTED VICTORIA HARBOUR. 'THE WEATHER WAS OTHERWISE FINE AND SUNNY FROM MAY 6 TILL THE EARLY PART OF MAY 9.

HOWEVER, IT TURNED FOR THE WORSE LATER ON MAY 9 AS ANOTHER TROUGH PASSED THROUGH THE TERRITORY. ONCE AGAIN, TSUEN WAN AND SHA TIN BORE THE BRUNT OF THE TORRENTIAL RAIN AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS WHICH PERSISTED TILL MIDNIGHT.

/A HIKER