*************************
December 2006 was sunnier and warmer than normal. The monthly total bright sunshine duration of 209.7 hours was 28.2 hours above normal. With an abundance of sunshine, the monthly mean temperature of 18.2 degrees was 0.6 degree higher than normal. Under dry conditions, the Red Fire Danger Warning was issued for consecutive 232.5 hours from December 16 to 26.
The monthly rainfall was 29.9 millimetres, 2.6 millimetres above the normal. The annual rainfall for 2006 was 2627.8 millimetres, about 19% higher than the normal figure of 2214.3 millimetres.
Under the influence of the northeast monsoon, the weather was generally fine in the first seven days of the month. With the moderation of the northeast monsoon, it was warm and hazy on December 8 with the maximum temperature rising to 25.6 degrees, the highest in the month.
The weather turned cloudy on December 9 when a cold front moved across the south China coast that morning. The weather stayed cloudy the next day. It was hazy with sunny periods during the day on December 11 and 12.
A surge of northeast monsoon reached the south China coastal area on December 13, bringing some rain to the territory. It was cool and rainy in the next two days. A replenishment of the northeast monsoon cleared the clouds later on December 16. The weather became fine, cold and dry in the ensuing two days. The temperature on December 18 dropped to 12.0 degrees, the lowest so far in the month. Under the influence of a continental flow, generally fine and dry weather persisted for the rest of the month.
Three tropical cyclones 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. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal of December are shown in Table 2.
Ends/Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:15
NNNN