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A mild and dry February
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     With the northeast monsoon over southern China generally weaker than normal for most of the time in the month, February 2023 was much warmer than usual in Hong Kong. The monthly mean maximum temperature of 22.0 degrees, monthly mean temperature of 18.9 degrees and monthly mean minimum temperature of 16.8 degrees were 2.6 degrees, 1.8 degrees and 1.5 degrees above their corresponding normals and respectively the sixth, seventh and one of the eighth highest on record for February. The month was also much drier than usual in Hong Kong. The total rainfall in the month was only 1.6 millimetres, about four per cent of the normal figure of 38.9 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first two months of the year was 19.8 millimetres, about 72 per cent below the normal figure of 71.9 millimetres for the same period.
 
     Under the influence of the northeast monsoon and the subsequent fresh to strong easterly airstream, the weather of Hong Kong was mainly fine on the first two days of the month. Affected by a cloud band covering the coast of Guangdong, local weather turned cloudy with cool mornings on February 3 to 5. There were also a few rain patches on February 4 and 5. With the moderation of the easterly airstream, apart from a few light rain patches, the weather became brighter and milder with sunny intervals during the day on February 6 and 7. Under light wind conditions, the visibility over parts of the territory was also rather low on these two days.
 
     With the setting in of a fresh to strong easterly airstream and a band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong, the weather of Hong Kong turned mainly cloudy and cooler with a few light rain patches on February 8. Apart from a few light rain and mist patches in the morning, there were sunny intervals during the day on February 9 and 10. Under the influence of a humid maritime airstream, it was foggy with a few rain patches on February 11 to 13. The visibility in some areas once fell below 500 metres on February 12 and 13. It was also rather warm with sunny periods on the afternoon of February 13. 
 
     Meanwhile, a cold front moved across the coastal areas of Guangdong on the night of February 13. Under the influence of the associated northeast monsoon, local weather became appreciably cooler on February 14. There were coastal mist and a few rain patches at first and bright periods during the day on that day. Apart from cloudy interludes on February 16, it was generally fine and dry with cool mornings on February 15 to 17. The temperatures at the Observatory fell to a minimum of 13.1 degrees on the morning of February 15, the lowest of the month.
 
     With the moderation of the northeast monsoon, apart from a few rain patches on the morning of February 19, the weather was dry and rather warm with sunny periods during the day on February 18 to 20. The temperatures at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 26.6 degrees on the afternoon of February 19, the highest of the month and also the warmest Spring Showers on record. Affected by a strong northeast monsoon and the subsequent replenishment, the weather of Hong Kong was generally fine and dry with cool mornings till the end of the month.
 
     There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in February 2023.
 
     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 February are tabulated in Table 2.
 
Ends/Thursday, March 2, 2023
Issued at HKT 15:00
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