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THE ENVIRONMENT
at Sha Tin New Town. Data from seven tide gauges and three wave recorders in different parts of Hong Kong were used in this investigation, along with a hydrody- namical storm surge model for open sea and bays.
A numerical barotropic model was developed to produce prognostic upper-air weather charts aimed at improving day-to-day weather forecasts and predicting tropical cyclone movements. Intensive efforts also were devoted to the study of the effect of heavy rain on soil movement and for formulating landslip prediction pro- cedures. Nomograms were constructed to estimate short-period rainfall amounts during tropical cyclones and new probability techniques were developed for use in forecasting the onset of gales and hurricane-force winds over Hong Kong. In addition, climatological studies were made to relate past tropical cyclone positions and their effect on winds and rainfall in Hong Kong. The observatory also assisted in a region- wide evaluation of objective techniques for predicting tropical cyclone movements. The observatory reference library contains more than 12,000 volumes of textbooks and periodicals. Besides staff members, the library is used by students, teachers, engineers and research workers from local universities and schools. The library also keeps microfilmed copies of historical weather charts and records, and a comprehen- sive collection of satellite photographs and time-lapse radar films of meteorological phenomena.
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