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An unseasonably wet and warm November
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     With the northeast monsoon over southern China generally weaker than normal for most of the time in the month, November 2022 was much warmer than usual in Hong Kong. The mean minimum temperature of 22.0 degrees and mean temperature of 23.4 degrees were 1.7 degrees and 1.2 degrees above the respective normals and were respectively the second and the third highest for November on record. Together with the exceptionally hot weather in September 2022, Hong Kong experienced the warmest autumn on record from September to November 2022. The mean maximum temperature of 29.2 degrees and the mean temperature of 26.4 degrees for September to November 2022 were both the highest on record for the same period. Moreover, the mean minimum temperature of 24.4 degrees was also one of the highest on record for the same period. Given the rainfall associated with tropical cyclone Nalgae in early November, the month was also much wetter than usual. The monthly total rainfall was 130.8 millimetres, more than three times the normal figure of 39.3 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall up to November this year was 2 179.7 millimetres, a deficit of around 9 per cent compared with the normal of 2 402.4 millimetres for the same period. The month was also unseasonably gloomy with only 100.3 hours of bright sunshine, about 42 per cent below the normal figure of 172.3 hours and the lowest for November on record.
 
     Severe Tropical Storm Nalgae over the northern part of the South China Sea moved generally north-northwestwards towards the coast of Guangdong on November 1. It continued to edge closer to the coast of Guangdong on November 2, but weakened into a tropical storm in the afternoon due to the influence of the northeast monsoon. Nalgae skirted past the southern waters of Hong Kong on the night of November 2 and came closest to the south-southwest of Hong Kong on the early morning of November 3. It then weakened into a tropical depression and made landfall over Zhuhai. Nalgae further degenerated into an area of low pressure over the western part of Guangdong in that morning.
 
     Under the combined effect of the northeast monsoon and Nalgae, it was windy with a few showers in Hong Kong on November 1. With the approach of Nalgae, the Observatory issued the No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal on the afternoon of November 2. Nalgae was the third tropical cyclone requiring the issuance of the No. 8 Signal in Hong Kong in November since records began in 1946. The last No. 8 Signal in November was in 1972. Strong to gale force winds generally affected the territory with occasional storm force winds offshore and on high ground later on November 2 and at first on November 3. With Nalgae departing from Hong Kong and degenerating into an area of low pressure over the western part of Guangdong, local winds moderated during the day on November 3. The outer rainbands of Nalgae brought occasional squally showers to Hong Kong on November 2 and 3. More than 30 millimetres of rainfall were generally recorded over Hong Kong on these two days and rainfall even exceeded 80 millimetres over the urban areas and the eastern part of the territory.
 
     Under the influence of a fresh to strong northeast monsoon and with a broad band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong, local weather was mainly cloudy with a few showers from November 4 to 8. The showers were particularly heavy on the morning of November 8. More than 40 millimetres were recorded over Yuen Long. With the thinning out of the cloud band and strengthening of the anticyclone aloft, apart from the cloudier weather on November 12, the weather of Hong Kong was generally fine from November 9 to 13. The visibility was also rather low in some areas on November 13. 
 
     With the prevalence of a fresh to strong northeast monsoon, it was mainly cloudy with sunny periods during the day in Hong Kong from November 14 to 17. Affected by an anticyclone aloft, the weather turned generally fine again from November 18 to 20. Under the influence of a fresh to strong northeast monsoon and upper-air disturbances, the weather of Hong Kong turned cloudy with a few rain patches from November 21 to 23. With a broad band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong, local weather remained cloudy with some rain from November 24 to 27. The visibility was also relatively low in some areas on November 27. 
 
     Affected by an anticyclone aloft, apart from some mist and rain patches, local weather turned generally fine and hot during the day on November 28. The maximum temperature at the Observatory rose to 28.6 degrees on the afternoon of November 28, the highest of the month. While the weather remained generally fine and hot during the day on November 29, there were some fog patches over the eastern waters in the morning with the visibility once falling below 1 000 metres. Meanwhile, the cold front over central China edged south towards southern China and moved across the coast of Guangdong on the morning of November 30. Under the influence of the associated intense northeast monsoon, local weather became mainly cloudy, windy and cooler on that day. The temperature at the Observatory dropped progressively after noon to a minimum of 18.3 degrees that night, the lowest of the month.
 
     Three tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in November 2022.
 
     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in November are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for November are tabulated in Table 2.
 
Ends/Friday, December 2, 2022
Issued at HKT 16:00
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