XN000022-1997-02-28 — Page 23

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The AWS will transmit data on wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, air pressure and rainfall to the Royal Observatory every 10 minutes. These will then be transmitted to Guangzhou through a network for exchange of meteorological data.

In this way, valuable meteorological data are provided to both Hong Kong and Guangdong meteorological authorities, facilitating the accurate forecast of hazardous weather and issue of timely warnings.

Besides the AWSS in the Pearl River Estuary, AWSS in the territory of Hong Kong are equally important. Two such AWSs were set up recently at Sek Kong and Tai Mo Shan in 1996, providing weather watch for the central part of the New Territories.

Altogether, there are more than 60 AWSS in Hong Kong which are managed by the EMT. These stations transmit data on wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, air pressure and rainfall to the Royal Observatory every minute. Hong Kong is literally operating one of the most intensive weather watch networks in the world.

These AWSS have to be maintained regularly to keep them in their best working condition. Should any problem occur, careful analysis must be conducted to find out the core problem before taking remedial actions to put the system back to normal.

Languages of electronic and computing technology are not the only languages of the members of the EMT, they also speak, or learn to speak Putunghua. Since last year, some members attended courses on Putunghua organised by the Civil Service Training and Development Institute, despite the fact that no problem has ever been encountered in communication with our Guangdong counterparts using the Guangzhou dialect. The reason is, as remarked by Mr. Yip Wing Sing, an EMT member, "Since our AWS hardware and software have very good reputation in China, we are expecting an expanded scope of co-operation with China, within and beyond Guangdong."

End