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The duty officer at the Hong Kong Observatoryˇ¦s Airport Meteorological Office in Chek Lap Kok observed a funnel cloud near Deep Bay at around 8.45am this morning (July 27). The funnel cloud was captured on a video available at www.youtube.com/hkweather#p/f/4/UlBX22dBm3o . Thereafter, reports were received from the Government Flying Service and a number of citizens about the sighting of at least three waterspouts over Deep Bay between 8.30am and 9am off Ha Pak Nai. An area of intense thunderstorm was also detected by the Observatory's weather radar at around that time. Under the influence of a trough of low pressure, the local weather was unstable with thunderstorms, giving rise to heavy rain and favourable conditions for the formation of waterspouts.
In Hong Kong, a waterspout was last spotted on July 22, 2010. Since 1959, there have been a total of 40 reports of waterspouts sighted within 460 kilometres of Hong Kong. Waterspouts are more commonly seen in July. The Observatory had received reports of waterspout on four separate days in July, 2003.
Ends/Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Issued at HKT 19:30
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