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October 2006 was unseasonably warm. Both the monthly mean temperature of 26.4 degrees and the mean daily minimum temperature of 24.7 degrees equalled the records set in 1983. The month was also rather dry with only 31.2 millimetres of rainfall, about 78% below normal. The accumulated rainfall since the beginning of the year is 2498.3 millimetres, about 16% above the normal figure of 2151.9 millimetres for the same period. October 2006 was also hazy with 546 hours of reduced visibility observed at the Hong Kong International Airport.
Under the influence of the northeast monsoon, it was cloudy with light rain patches on the first two days of the month. A ridge of high pressure over southeastern China brought generally fine weather to the territory on October 3. The weather remained generally fine on the next five day.
The weather turned cloudy with some rain on October 9 when a cloud band covered southern China. The clouds thinned out and there were sunny periods the next day. It was sunny from October 11 to 13.
An easterly airstream affected the south China coast on October 14, bringing a few showers to the territory. The weather stayed cloudy with some showers in the ensuing two days. With a ridge of high pressure building up over southeastern China, the weather improved on October 17. Apart from some hazy episodes, mainly fine weather continued for the following six days.
A fresh northeast monsoon reached the south China coast on October 24. The weather turned cloudy with a few rain patches. Sunshine returned on October 25. Under the influence of a continental airstream, it was mainly fine with some haze for the rest of the month.
Five tropical cyclones occurred in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in the month.
Details of the issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1.1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal of October are shown in Table 1.2.
Ends/Friday, November 3, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:19
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