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October, 2005, was warmer and drier than normal. The monthly mean temperature of 26.2 degrees was 1.0 degree higher than normal and ranked the third highest for October. The total rainfall of 6.6 millimetres was only about 5% of the normal figure. The accumulated rainfall since the beginning of the year is 3203.4 millimetres, about 49% above the normal figure of 2151.9 millimetres for the same period.
Apart from a few isolated showers, it was fine, hot and hazy on the first three days of the month. Under the influence of the hot subsiding air ahead of Typhoon Longwang, the maximum temperature rose to 32.4 degrees on October 2, the highest in the month. Visibility improved on October 4 when winds freshened from the north. With the northeast monsoon prevailing over southern China, the weather stayed generally fine for the next 10 days. There were more than 50 reports of hill fire during the Chung Yeung Festival on October 11.
Haze returned on October 15 when local winds abated. Visibility in the harbour dropped below 5000 metres. The hazy condition persisted in the ensuing two days. Winds strengthened from the east on October 18, which cleared the haze and brought fine weather to the territory on October 19 and 20. A replenishment of the northeast monsoon arrived at the south China coast on October 21, bringing dry and slightly cooler weather to the territory in the following three days. The Red Fire Danger Warning was in force between October 22 and 24. The weather remained sunny until October 28.
A surge of northeast monsoon brought cloudy and cooler weather to the territory on October 29 and 30. The minimum temperature dropped further to 20.5 degrees in the morning of October 31, the lowest in the month.
Four tropical cyclones occurred in the western North Pacific and South China Sea 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 October are shown in Table 1.2.
Ends/Wednesday, November 2, 2005
Issued at HKT 15:00
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