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With frequent exchange between the northeast monsoon and the humid maritime airstream over the south China coast, February 2012 in Hong Kong was marked by gloomy and humid weather with a few foggy episodes. The total duration of bright sunshine in the month was 38.1 hours, only about 40 per cent of the normal, and the monthly mean relative humidity was 85 per cent, 5 per cent above normal.
The month was also cooler with less rainfall than usual. The mean temperature of the month was 15.8 degrees, 1 degree below the normal figure of 16.8 degrees. The total rainfall in the month was 29.5 millimetres, 24.9 millimetres below the normal figure of 54.4 millimetres.
A ridge of high pressure over southern China brought generally fine weather to Hong Kong on the first day of the month. Affected by a fresh easterly airstream, local weather became cloudy on February 2. A replenishment of the northeast monsoon reached the coastal areas of Guangdong on the morning of February 3, bringing cool weather with light rain patches to the territory on February 3 and 4. With the moderation of the northeast monsoon, there were some sunny intervals the next day.
Affected by a maritime airstream, the weather became humid with a few rain patches and coastal fog on February 6. Meanwhile, a cold front formed over the northeastern part of Guangdong that night and crossed the coastal areas of Guangdong the next morning. Affected by the intense northeast monsoon behind the cold front, local weather was cloudy and cold with rain patches from February 7 to 11. With the moderation of the northeast monsoon, there were sunny intervals on February 12.
Under the influence of a maritime airstream, it was humid with mist and coastal fog from February 13 to 15. A cold front crossed the coastal areas of Guangdong on the evening of February 15. Local temperatures started to fall progressively on February 16 after the passage of the cold front. The northeast monsoon behind the cold front brought cold weather to the territory from February 17 to 19. While the northeast monsoon weakened slightly, the weather remained cloudy and cool for the following two days.
A rain band over the coastal areas of Guangdong together with a humid maritime airstream brought rainy and foggy weather to the territory on February 22 and 23. On February 23, the visibility at Waglan Island stayed around 100 meters for the whole day and the daily mean relative humidity at the Observatory was 99 per cent, the highest recorded since 1961.
A cold front edged across the Pearl River Estuary on the morning of February 24 and the associated northeast monsoon brought cooler and foggy weather to Hong Kong on February 24 and 25. With the strengthening of the northeast monsoon, the weather became cold with rain and mist for the next three days. The temperatures at the Observatory fell to a minimum of 9.8 degrees on the morning of February 28, the lowest of the month. Affected by a fresh to strong easterly airstream, the weather was windy and cool with light rain patches on the last day of the month.
One tropical cyclone occurred 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 the norm for February are tabulated in Table 2.
Ends/Friday, March 2, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:19
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