January, 2006, was marked by hazy weather.  The number of hours of reduced visibility observed at the Hong Kong International Airport was 449 hours (i.e. about 60 % of the time) in the month, the second highest for January since record began in 1997.  January, 2006, was warmer than normal.  The mean temperature of 16.4 degrees was 0.6 degrees above normal.  The monthly rainfall of 16.3 millimetres was 7.1 millimetres less than normal.  

     It was mainly fine and hazy on the first four days of January.  A cold front moved across the south China coast in the early morning of January 5.  Under the influence of the northeast monsoon, the weather turned cold and dry on the following four days.  The minimum temperature dropped to 8.0 degrees on January 7, the lowest in the month.

     The temperature rose gradually on January 10 and 11 as the northeast monsoon weakened.  It was fine and mild in the next five days.

     When a maritime airstream set in on January 17, the weather became humid with morning mist.  Misty conditions continued in the ensuing two days, and the visibility in the harbour once fell below 2000 metres on January 19.

     Another cold front reached the south China coast on January 20, bringing some rain to the territory for two days.  It was cold and generally cloudy from January 21 to 24.  The weather turned milder on January 25 and 26 as clouds dispersed to give some sunny periods.

     A cloud band over the northern part of the South China Sea gradually extended to cover the South China coastal areas on January 27.  It was overcast and cool with occasional rain on January 28.  Clouds thinned out gradually during the day on January 29.  The weather became generally fine and mild for the last two days of the month.  The maximum temperature rose to 23.6 degrees on the afternoon of January 31, the highest in the month.

     There was no tropical cyclone 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 1.1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal of January are shown in Table 1.2.

Ends/Thursday, February 2, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:34

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