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The weather of April 2014 was drier and sunnier than usual. The total rainfall for the month was 132.4 millimetres, about 24 per cent below the normal figure of 174.7 millimetres. However, the accumulated rainfall since January 1 of 379.5 millimetres was about 13 per cent above the normal figure of 336.1 millimetres for the same period. The total duration of bright sunshine for the month was 119.4 hours, about 17 per cent above the normal figure of 101.7 hours. The mean temperature of 22.6 degrees for the month was on a par with normal.
Under the influence of a trough of low pressure, Hong Kong's weather was cloudy with showers and a few squally thunderstorms for the first three days of the month. Rainfall was heavy at times, exceeding 50 millimetres at some places in the territory. Hailstones were reported at Yuen Long, Sheung Shui and Fanling during the passage of thunderstorms on the night of April 2.
With the setting in of a relative dry northeast monsoon, it became mainly fine on April 4 and 5. A fresh to strong easterly airstream brought windy, rainy and appreciably cooler weather to Hong Kong for the next two days, with temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory falling to 17.5 degrees on April 6, the lowest of the month. Despite the moderation of the easterlies on April 8, local weather remained cloudy with isolated heavy showers. While the weather became brighter on April 9 and 10, there were mist patches and coastal fog in the morning under the influence of a moist easterly airstream.
The weather then stayed mostly sunny and warm up to April 19. Under light wind conditions, fog returned in the morning on April 13. A fresh to strong easterly airstream brought cloudy and slightly cool weather over the next three days, as well as some rain patches on April 14. But as the easterlies moderated, the weather again became warm with mist and coastal fog from April 17 to 19.
Under the influence of a maritime airstream over the coast of Guangdong, the weather turned mainly cloudy with rain patches and coastal fog from April 20 to 22. The easterlies strengthened again and brought clouds with rain as well as fog over the next few days. Visibility fell below 1 000 metres in the harbour on the morning of April 25. After the passage of a trough of low pressure that brought more rain, the weather turned sunny on April 27 with temperatures at the Observatory rising to a maximum of 29.0 degrees, the highest of the month. Affected by a dry continental airstream, the weather was mainly fine over the next couple of days. The month ended with cloudy weather and some showers as easterly winds again became established.
Two tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in the month.
Details of the issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for April are tabulated in Table 2.
Ends/Monday, May 5, 2014
Issued at HKT 19:15
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