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May 2008 was cooler and drier than usual. The monthly mean temperature of 25.3 degrees was 0.5 degrees below normal. The total rainfall for the month was 191.9 millimetres, about 137.6 millimetres below normal. The accumulated rainfall since January 1 was 564.9 millimetres, about 15% below the normal figure of 666.6 millimetres for the same period.
Under the influence of a humid easterly airstream, the weather was cloudy with mist and a few showers for the first four days of May. A trough of low pressure over south China reached the coast in the evening of May 5 and brought thundery showers to the territory. It remained cloudy with a few rain patches for the next two days.
Another humid maritime airstream brought coastal fog to Hong Kong on the morning of May 8. It was sunny and hot during the day on May 9. A cold front crossed the south China coast that evening. The northeast monsoon behind the cold front brought cooler weather to the territory for the next two days.
A dry northeast monsoon dominated south China from May 12 to 17 and brought fine and dry weather to Hong Kong. The weather turned cloudy with rain for the ensuing five days when a trough of low pressure affected the south China coastal areas. Under the influence of a southwesterly airstream, the weather was hot with sunny periods on May 23. The maximum temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory rose to 31.4 degrees, the highest of the month. Local weather became progressively cloudier and more showery from May 24 to 28 when the southwesterly airstream became more active.
A trough of low pressure lingering over the south China coastal areas brought rainy and thundery weather to the territory for the rest of the month.
Four 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 in May are tabulated in Table 1.2.
Ends/Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:50
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