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December 2005 was drier than normal with only 9.5 millimetres of rainfall. Despite a dry December, the year 2005 finished as the third wettest year since records began in 1884. The annual rainfall was 3214.5 millimetres, some 45% above the normal figure of 2214.3 millimetres.
It was fine but hazy in the first three days of December 2005. As a cold front moved across the south China coast in the early morning of December 4, visibility improved, and the weather turned cloudy, cold and dry in the ensuing three days. The first Cold Weather Warning of the winter was issued on December 5.
As the northeast monsoon moderated, there were sunny periods on December 8 and the weather was mild in the next three days. A surge of the winter monsoon reached Hong Kong again on the early morning of December 12, bringing cool weather to the territory. The temperature and relative humidity dropped further on December 15 when the winter monsoon strengthened. It was cold and very dry in the next four days. The weather warmed up briefly on December 20, but turned cold and windy again on December 21 when an intense surge of the winter monsoon arrived in southern China. Three people in Sham Tseng were hurt as they fell in strong winds that morning. The weather stayed cold and very dry on December 22 and 23. The minimum temperature dropped to 10.4 degrees on December 22, the lowest so far this winter. Frost was reported at the Sha Tin Racecourse on the morning of December 23.
The temperature rose gradually on December 24 as the winter monsoon weakened. It was mainly fine in the next three days. A cloud band associated with an area of low pressure over the South China Sea brought cloudy weather and some rain to the territory between December 28 and 30. It was mainly fine on the last day of the year.
Only one tropical cyclone occurred in the western North Pacific and the 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 for December are tabulated in Table 1.2.
Ends/Tuesday, January 3, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:18
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