THE ENVIRONMENT
subjects. The total number of visits to the home page in 2000 exceeded 49 million, or about 134 000 per day on average.
Weather Monitoring and Forecasting
The Observatory exchanges weather observations with the rest of the world through the Global Telecommunications System operated under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organisation. Through its telecommunication lines with meteorological centres in Beijing, Tokyo and Bangkok, about 60 000 weather reports are received each day.
Hourly pictures of cloud and water vapour distribution are received from both the Japanese Geostationary Meteorological Satellite and the Chinese Fengyun-2 Satellite for monitoring tropical cyclones, severe storms and frontal systems over most parts of Asia and the western Pacific.
The Observatory's Doppler weather radar at Tai Mo Shan provides high-resolution rainfall and wind data for monitoring severe weather within some 500 kilometres of Hong Kong.
Weather observers and automatic weather stations at 67 locations in Hong Kong provide comprehensive and real-time coverage of regional weather variations, while observations from Voluntary Observing Ships provide valuable information on weather at sea.
Rainfall information is important because of the occurrence of flood and landslips during heavy rain. A dense network of 111 automatic reporting raingauges provides real-time information on rain distribution and intensity for the operation of rainstorm and landslip warnings. An operational 'nowcasting' system combines radar and raingauge analysis to forecast rainfall in the next two hours.
The Observatory's supercomputer further enhances the capability of rainstorm forecasting by running high-resolution numerical weather prediction models. Using guidance from numerical products from both global and limited area models, forecasters can now issue weather forecasts several days ahead with reasonable confidence.
The Observatory operates tide gauges to monitor coastal flooding and raised sea levels caused by tropical cyclones. To probe the upper atmosphere, radiosondes carried by balloons are launched three times a day at King's Park to measure weather conditions aloft.
The Observatory exchanges weather radar images with the Guangdong Meteorological Bureau and operates jointly with them four solar-powered automatic weather stations at Huangmao Zhou, Tuoning Islands, Neilingding Islands and Wailingding Islands to provide better timing of the approach of hazardous weather such as fronts, squall lines and tropical cyclones.
Aviation Meteorology
The Observatory operates the Airport Meteorological Office (AMO) at the Hong Kong International Airport to provide weather services for civil aviation. Besides keeping watch and issuing warning of hazardous weather over the Hong Kong Flight Information Region, the AMO provides meteorological flight documentation to aircraft departing Hong Kong. Messages on meteorological conditions at the Hong
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