Tropical Storm Mujigae

Mujigae was the sixth tropical cyclone that necessitated the issuance of a tropical cyclone warning signal in Hong Kong in 2009. 

Mujigae developed into a tropical depression over the central part of the South China Sea about 790 km southeast of Hong Kong on the morning of 9 September.  It moved northwestwards at first but soon took on a west-northwesterly track across the northern part of the South China Sea that afternoon.  Mujigae intensified into a tropical storm on 10 September and turned to move westwards at night.  It reached its peak intensity with estimated maximum winds of about 75 km/h near its centre in the small hours of 11 September while moving across the northern part of Hainan Island.  Mujigae entered Beibu Wan that morning.  It made landfall over northern Vietnam on the morning of 12 September and weakened into a tropical depression. Mujigae weakened further into an area of low pressure over northern Vietnam that afternoon.  According to press reports, flooding and landslides triggered by Mujigae resulted in five deaths in the Philippines.  In Hainan Island, Guangdong and Guangxi, over 74 000 fishing boats had to return to harbour to seek shelter.  In Vietnam, one person was killed and another injured during the passage of Mujigae.
 
In Hong Kong, the Standby Signal No. 1 was issued at 4:35 a.m. on 10 September when Mujigae was about 450 km to the south-southeast.  Winds in Hong Kong that morning were moderate to fresh northeasterlies, strong offshore and on high ground.  Mujigae was closest to Hong Kong at about 2 p.m. passing about 330 km to the south.  Local winds strengthened from the east in the afternoon and the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 was issued at 2: 35 p.m.  At the Hong Kong Observatory Headquarters, the lowest instantaneous mean sea-level pressure of 1005.2 hPa was recorded between 3:02 p.m. and 5:11 p.m.  Winds became generally strong in the late afternoon and at night, occasionally reaching gale force offshore and on high ground.  Local winds gradually moderated in the small hours of 11 September as Mujigae moved away from Hong Kong and the Strong Wind No. 3 Signal was replaced by the Standby Signal No. 1 at 3:35 a.m.  Local winds subsided further later and all signals were cancelled at 6:25 a.m. when Mujigae had moved to about 520 km west-southwest of Hong Kong.  

The weather in Hong Kong was mainly cloudy at first on 10 September.  Scattered squally showers started to affect Hong Kong during the day.  The weather remained cloudy with occasional rain and isolated squally thunderstorms on 11 September.

In Hong Kong, a passer-by was injured by pieces of broken glass as a glass sheet fell  from a building in Mongkok during the passage of Mujigae.  There were no other reports of significant damage in Hong Kong.