Climate of Hong Kong
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (July 2007) |
The climate of Hong Kong is a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cwa), just short of being a tropical wet-and-dry climate.
In winter, the weather is cool, with generally bright and dry weather in early winter but in late winter, it is typically overcast and occasional cold fronts are experienced. Snow and frost are unlikely to form as sub-zero Celsius temperatures very rarely occur at sea level. Rainfall is also uncommon at this stage.
In spring, the chance of rainfall increases, and humidity is usually higher than in autumn.
June to September are hottest months of the year. Temperature ranges between 26 °C and 34 °C (79 °F to 93 °F) with humidity of 60–70% during the day, and even higher at night. Thunderstorms and heavy rain are common. Hong Kong may be hit by typhoons during summer and early autumn, but these events are not unknown in late spring either.
In autumn the weather is generally sunny, with less frequent rainfall. They are often considered the most pleasant months because of mild to warm temperatures without the high humidity experienced in spring and summer.
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[edit] Tropical cyclones
Tropical cyclones are classified in these four categories in order of strength: tropical depressions (weakest), tropical storms, severe tropical storms and typhoons (strongest). If the tropical cyclone passes by Hong Kong at a distance, it may bring a little rain and wind that will not last for very long, but if it scores a direct hit, the winds can be deadly (depending on the tropical cyclone's strength) and it may rain for days.
Tropical cyclones are massive twisting air currents with hundreds of kilometres in width. They can only exist over warm oceans. When they hit the land, their moisture will dry out and they die out. The eye of a tropical cyclone is usually tens of kilometres wide and has a column of descending air. It can be entirely calm in contrast to the surrounding vortex.
However, Hong Kong is only a small point on earth and hence the odds for a direct typhoon hit is quite rare. However, when it does occur, the Hong Kong Observatory issues the Typhoon Signal no. 10, the strongest storm warning issued by the agency.
[edit] Climate of the past decade
1997. 1997 was the wettest year since records began in 1884. Rainfall at the Hong Kong Observatory amounted to 3343.0 millimetres, 51 per cent above normal and exceeding the previous record set in 1982.
1998. It was the warmest year since records began in 1884. The annual mean temperature was 24.0 degrees Celsius, 0.2 °C higher than the previous record set in 1966. The annual mean daily minimum temperature of 22.1 °C was also the highest on record.
1999. With an annual mean temperature of 23.8 °C, 1999 was the third warmest year on record. The monthly mean temperatures for all months except May, August and December were above their respective normal figures.
2000. The year 2000 was warmer and wetter than usual. The mean temperature of 23.3 °C was the tenth highest on record and the mean minimum temperature of 21.5 °C was the sixth highest. The annual total rainfall of 2752.3 millimetres was 24 per cent above normal.
2001. The year 2001 was warmer and wetter than usual. The mean temperature of 23.6 °C was 0.6 degree above normal, ranking the sixth highest on record. The mean minimum temperature of 21.8 °C was the second highest on record. The annual total rainfall of 3091.8 millimetres also ranked the fourth highest.
2002. The year 2002 was the second warmest year on record. The mean temperature of 23.9 °C was 0.9 °C above normal.
2003. The year 2003 was the sixth warmest year since records began in 1884. The mean temperature, 23.6 °C, was 0.6 °C above normal.
2004. Globally, the year 2004 was the fourth warmest year since instrumental temperature record began in 1861. In Hong Kong, 2004 was the ninth warmest year on record. The annual mean temperature was 23.4 °C, 0.4 °C above normal.
2005. Locally in Hong Kong, 2005 was the third wettest year on record. The total rainfall of 3214.5 millimetres was 45.2 percent above normal.
2006. Globally, the year 2006 is the sixth warmest year on record. In Hong Kong, it was the eighth warmest year since record began in 1884. The annual mean temperature of 23.5 °C was 0.5 °C higher than normal.
2008. Hong Kong was lashed by a torrential storm on the morning of June 7th which dumped up to 300mm of rain including 145.5mm between 8am and 9am killing 2 people. The storm also caused traffic chaos and dozens of flight delays.
