********************
January 2007 was warmer than usual. The mean temperature of 16.4 degrees was 0.6 degree above normal. The monthly rainfall was 29.6 millimetres, which was 6.2 millimetres above normal.
The new year started fine and mild. Cloudy conditions set in and there was some rain on January 2 and 3. The weather stayed cloudy on January 4 and then turned fine and rather cool on January 5 when a surge of the northeast monsoon arrived in southern China. It was fine, dry and cold in the ensuing four days. The temperature fell to 10.9 degrees on January 8, the lowest in the month. Frost was reported at Ta Kwu Ling on the morning of January 8 and 9.
The weather became cloudy on January 10 and remained that way until January 12. Under the influence of a dry northeast monsoon, it turned mainly fine and hazy on January 13 and 14. With the weakening of the northeast monsoon, it was mild on January 15 and 16. A replenishment of the northeast monsoon brought rainy and cooler weather to the territory on January 17. The weather remained cool with a few rain patches in the next five days.
The weather improved gradually with sunny periods from January 23 to 25. The strengthening of the northerlies brought fine, dry and cold weather to Hong Kong on January 26 and the following three days. With abundant sunshine, the temperature recovered gradually on the last two days of 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. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal of January are shown in Table 2.
Ends/Friday, February 2, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:22
NNNN
