ENG-1966 — Page 324

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GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

September was exceptionally hot and dry, with the lowest mean relative humidity and the most sunshine of any September on record. Although 10 tropical storms were reported in the Western Pacific, only one threatened Hong Kong. Tropical storm Elsie developed early on 12th September about 390 miles south-east of Hong Kong and local storm signal No 1 was hoisted that afternoon. Elsie intensified to a typhoon on the 14th near Pratas Island and then recurved and moved north-eastwards across South Taiwan on the 16th. Winds freshened but never became strong in Hong Kong and there was only a trace of rain.

The generally fine weather continued throughout October, and although four tropical cyclones were reported in the Western Pacific none affected Hong Kong. During November there were traces of rain on several nights but the total rainfall was well below normal. Surges of the winter monsoon occurred on 19th, 25th and 30th November and the strong monsoon signal, the black ball, was hoisted on each occasion. There was some unseasonably warm humid weather between 15th and 20th December, when the relative humidity reached a maximum of 98 per cent, and the temperature 26.4°C, but a surge of the north-east monsoon late on the 25th caused the temperature to fall sharply to a minimum of 8.2°C on the 28th. A climatological summary of the year will be found in Appendix XL.