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January 2009 was sunnier and drier than usual. The total bright sunshine duration for the month was 226.5 hours, about 60% above the normal figure of 141.7 hours. Only a trace of rainfall was recorded during the month, making it the driest January since 1994. The monthly mean temperature of 15.3 degrees was 0.8 degrees below normal.
Under the influence of a strong winter monsoon, the weather was fine, dry and cold in the first three days of the year. The temperature rose a couple of degrees on January 4 as the winter monsoon weakened. The weather remained cool, fine and dry for the ensuing three days.
A replenishment of the northeast monsoon brought cold and very dry conditions to the territory on January 8. It stayed cold for the next eight days. The temperature recorded at Ta Kwu Ling fell to a minimum of -0.8 degrees on the morning of January 11, the lowest since record began in 1985. Frost was reported at Ta Kwu Ling and Sha Tin on January 11 and Kau Sai Chau on January 12.
The weather stayed fine and dry from January 17-19. Under the influence of a fresh to strong easterly airstream, the weather became mainly cloudy on January 20. It turned sunny and warm the next day when the easterlies moderated. Under light wind conditions, it was hazy on January 22.
The cold air associated with an intense winter monsoon reached the south China coastal areas in the evening of January 23 bringing cloudy and rather cool weather to Hong Kong. It was generally cloudy and cold over the ensuing four days. With the moderation of the northeast monsoon, temperatures rose gradually during the next two days. It was generally fine for the last two days of the month.
There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific 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 January are tabulated in Table 1.2.
Ends/Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:59
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