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February 2011 was marked by mostly sunny and mild weather interrupted by a cold and cloudy spell with some rain. The mean temperature of the month was 16.2 degrees, 0.1 degrees below normal. The total bright sunshine duration in the month was 127.7 hours, 33.9 hours above normal. With the abundant sunshine, the monthly mean daily maximum temperature was 19.1 degrees, 0.5 degrees above the normal figure of 18.6 degrees.
February 2011 was drier than usual. The total rainfall in the month was 23.7 millimetres, only about 45% of the normal figure.
After experiencing generally cold and dry conditions for the first two days of the month, Hong Kong enjoyed mainly fine and dry weather apart from some haze and mist in the ensuing eight days as a result of a ridge of high pressure dominating over southern China. With abundant sunshine, local temperatures soared to above 20 degrees during the day from February 4 to 10.
Meanwhile, a cold front formed over southern China on February 10 and crossed the coastal areas of Guangdong the next day. Under the influence of the winter monsoon behind the cold front, local weather turned cooler with mist and a few rain patches on February 11 and 12. With the strengthening of the winter monsoon, it was cold with rain for the next four days. The temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory fell to a minimum of 8.6 degrees on February 14, the lowest of the month.
Affected by a humid easterly airstream, the weather became cloudy with fog on February 17. Visibility fell below 1,000 metres in the harbour and was around 100 metres at Waglan Island that morning. A replenishment of the northeast monsoon reached the south China coastal areas on February 18. Local weather became rather cool with rain patches from February 18 to 21.
Under the influence of a dry northeasterly airstream, the weather became dry with some sunny periods on February 22 and 23. Apart from some mist, it was mainly fine with warm afternoons from February 24 to 27. Affected by a maritime airstream, it was sunny with fog on the last day of the month. With plenty of sunshine, the temperature recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory rose to a maximum of 26.9 degrees on February 28, the highest 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. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal of February are tabulated in Table 2.
Ends/Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:21
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