636454-1897-Meteorological-Observations — Page 2

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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 17TH JULY, 1897.

The following notices have been issued :

On the 27th June at 11.20 a.-"The depression, still lying to the Northward of the S coast of China, has apparently become deeper, with a farther fall of the barometer over S China."

Forecast:- "strong SW winds; squally, showery. Very strong SW monsoon in the N part of the China Sea."

On the 28th at 11.20 a.- "The barometer has risen on the coast between Hongkong and the N part of the Formosa Channel, but pressure is still low particularly along the S coast. The depression, which seems to be trough-like at present, appears to be now lying a little to the Southward of the S coast of China. Conditions are favourable for the depression to become cyclonic." Forecast:--"fresh or strong NE and E winds; unsettled, squally with rain."

On the 29th at 11.30 a." Changes of pressure are slight. The barometer, however, is inclined to fall in Hongkong. The depression to the Southward of Hongkong, probably in about 20° Lat., appears to be almost stationary, but increasing in intensity." Forecast:-" NE and E winds, strong, with some probability of a gale; threatening, squally with rain."

On the 30th at 11.25 a.-"The barometer has risen decidedly in the neighbourhood of Hongkong, fallen in the South. The depression, which probably remains trough-like in character, seems to be lying across the China Sea in a lower latitude than yesterday." Forecast:-- fresh NE and E winds, changeable, unsettled."

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On the 1st July at 11.20 a. "The barometer has risen considerably on the China coast and in Luzon, fallen in Haiphong. The depression appears to be now situated near S Hainan, and moving Westward." Forecast:-

Forecast:-"strong to fresh NE and E winds; unsettled, squally with rain."

On the 2nd at 11.25 a." The depression appears to have moved Westward to the S of Haiphong, where the barometer has since risen very quickly. In Hongkong the barometer is again inclined to fall, and another depression is probably forming in the N part of the China Sea to the Southward of the Colony. Pressure is apparently abnormally high over Central China and gradients are steep on the S and SE coasts.' Forecast:-"strong NE winds; threatening, squally with some rain."

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On the 3rd at 11.0 a." A small depression lies to the South-south-east of Hongkong, probably in about 20° latitude. At 11.25 a. The barometer has fallen considerably in the neighbourhood of Hongkong, moderately in the N part of the Formosa Channel, where, however, pressure is still high. No change has occurred at Bolinao, the barometer remaining slightly low." Forecast:-"N and ÑE winds, probably freshening considerably; fair to unsettled and squally with some rain."

On the 4th at 11.30 a.-"The small depression, moving Northwards, entered the coast near Swatow this morning. Pressure has increased in Luzon, fallen along the S and SE coasts of China, where gradients are steep." Forecast:-" fresh NW to SW winds; fair to sbowery and squally."

On the 5th at 11.20 a.-"The shallow depression appears to be lying yet on the mainland between Swatow and Foochow. The barometer is rising along the S. coast of China, falling slightly in the N. part of Formosa Channel." Forecast:-"moderate SW winds; fair to showery, thunder probable."

The above depression was an elongated area of low barometer, at first lying in an Easterly and Westerly direction almost along the line of the S. coast of China, and apparently extending over the S part of the Formosa Channel. It was characterized by strong SW winds to the Southward and strong NE winds to the Northward of its axis, and much rain was falling in the area between the two

currents.

After the 28th, owing to increasing pressure over China, the NE winds advanced and the SW winds retreated Southwards, and the axis of the depression, which extended approximately in an E and W direction over many degrees of Longitude, was lying between 19° and 20° Lat. for several days after the 29th June. It is uncertain whether any small whirl moved along this trough-like depression, but pressure in the areas adjacent to the trough was much lower in the neighbourhood of Hainan and the Tongking Gulf than elsewhere on the 1st July. In any case the trough-like depres- sion existed still to the S of Hongkong on July 2nd. Two vessels steering northwards passed through it on this day in about 1940 Lat. and report a rather abrupt change of wind from SW to NE, the latter being of the force of a fresh gale. The elongated depression appears, however, to have been broken up later in the day by the formation, in it, of a small circular depression to the S and SE of Hongkong which moved northwards on the 3rd, the central area entering the coast on the morning of the 4th, probably a little to the Eastward of Swatow. The depression gave rise to strong S winds in the Formosa Channel on the 5th.

F. G. FIGG, Acting Director.

Hongkong Observatory, 16th July, 1897.