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Under the dominance of a relatively dry northeast monsoon, October 2014 was much warmer and sunnier than usual. The mean temperature for the month was 26.2 degrees, 0.7 degrees above the normal figure of 25.5 degrees and also joint fifth highest for October since records began in 1884. The monthly total duration of sunshine was 222.9 hours, about 15 per cent above the normal figure of 193.9 hours.
The monthly total rainfall of 109.8 millimetres was slightly above the normal figure of 100.9 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall since January 1 this year was 2 562.5 millimetres, about 10 per cent above the normal level of 2 334.0 millimetres for the same period.
With pulses of an early-season northeast monsoon pushing towards the south China coast, local weather was unsettled with occasional heavy showers and squally thunderstorms on the first four days of the month, and a waterspout was spotted near Shek Pik in the morning of October 3.
The weather in Hong Kong turned fine on October 5 as a continental airstream reached southern China. With further replenishment of dry air mass brought by the northeast monsoon, the weather remained generally fine for more than two weeks. It became slightly cooler as well with night-time temperatures falling to a minimum of 22.8 degrees in the morning of October 15, the lowest of the month.
While it was hot with sunny periods on October 22, the arrival of a fresh to strong easterly airstream later that day coincided with the return of moist air to the coast of Guangdong. After some rainy episodes that night and early on October 23, the weather remained generally cloudy in the next three days.
The clouds dispersed on October 27 and local weather became mainly fine. Despite a strengthening of the easterlies on October 28, generally fine conditions prevailed till the end of the month.
Three tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in the month.
Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for October are tabulated in Table 2.
Ends/Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:04
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