XN000022-1996-03-14 — Page 21

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Weather of February

February 1996 was characterised by one of the longest cold spells recorded in Hong Kong. Daily minimum temperatures of below 10 degrees were recorded for seven consecutive days from 18 to 24 February, the sixth longest for February. Some media reports associated this cold spell to be directly or indirectly related to the deaths of some elderly people.

As the winter monsoon dominated the major part of the month, it was colder than normal. The daily mean temperature of 6.9 degrees on 21 February was the sixth lowest for the month. In addition, the monthly mean sea-level pressure of 1 020.7 hectopascals was the tenth highest for February. Although the weather in the latter half of the month was gloomy, the monthly total rainfall amounted to only 27.2 millimetres, 43 per cent below the normal figure.

Fine and dry weather brought by the northeast monsoon prevailed during the first four days of the month. It turned cloudy on 5 February and winds strengthened from the east that night. There were periods of rain the next day and winds weakened later on 7 February.

A northerly surge arrived on 9 February bringing drier air and fine weather to the territory. A hill fire at Pat Sin Range the next day took the lives of two teachers and three students and injured several others.

The weather turned cloudy again on 12 February. Winds became light and was subsequently replaced by a southerly airstream the next day. The warm airstream brought the temperature up to 26.4 degrees, the highest for the month, on 15 February. Winds turned easterly the next day as periods of rain set in and lasted for almost two weeks.

Meanwhile, an intense anticyclone over China advanced south and a cold front crossed the south China coast on the night of 17 February. As a result of this intense northerly surge, temperatures dropped nearly eight degrees in seven hours that night. It marked the beginning of a prolonged cold spell of seven consecutive days with daily minimum temperatures falling below 10 degrees. The lowest temperature of the month, 5.8 degrees, was recorded on the morning of 21 February. Temperatures fell below the freezing point at Tate's Cairn on 20 February and frost was observed at Tai Mo Shan on the mornings of 20 and 21 February.