TROPICAL CYCLONES IN 2002

3.1 Severe Tropical Storm Kammuri (0212) : 3 - 5 August 2002

Kammuri was the first tropical cyclone that necessitated the Hong Kong Observatory to issue a warning signal this year.

Kammuri developed as a tropical depression over the northern part of the South China Sea, about 400 km east-southeast of Hong Kong on 3 August. Tracking westwards at around 15 km/h, Kammuri strengthened into a tropical storm in the early morning of 4 August. It then slowed down and abruptly turned to the north-northeast towards the east coast of Guangdong. On 5 August, Kammuri intensified further into a severe tropical storm with a maximum wind speed of about 100 km/h near the centre. After making landfall near Shanwei, Kammuri moved northwards at about 20 km/h and weakened gradually into an area of low pressure over Jiangxi Province that night.

The heavy rain brought by Kammuri triggered flash floods in Meizhou of Guangdong, which killed 10 people, injured at least 15 others and left 23 missing. Another 1 500 people were also left homeless after hundreds of houses were damaged. At the airport in Guangzhou, about 50 flights were delayed or canceled due to heavy rain.

In Hong Kong, the Standby Signal No. 1 was issued at 9.50 a.m. on 3 August when Kammuri was about 390 km to the east-southeast. Under the circulation of Kammuri, local winds became moderate northerly and there were scattered showers. As Kammuri came closer on 4 August, winds strengthened offshore and on high ground, but remained moderate in the harbour owing to sheltering by terrain. Kammuri was closest to Hong Kong that night when it was about 130 km to the east-southeast. The lowest instantaneous mean sea-level pressure of 990.1 hPa was recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory at 4.50 p.m. and 5.37 p.m. on 4 August. As Kammuri weakened after landfall, all tropical cyclone warning signals were lowered at 11.30 a.m. on 5 August.

The active southwesterly winds associated with the remnant of Kammuri brought heavy rain and thunderstorms to Hong Kong on 6 August. The Amber Rainstorm Warning Signal was issued at 6.10 a.m. and more than 200 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over Kwai Chung and Sha Tin on that day.

Information on wind, rainfall and tide during the passage of Kammuri is given in Tables 3.1.1 - 3.1.3. Figures 3.1.1 - 3.1.4 show the track of Kammuri, rainfall distribution in Hong Kong, cloud imagery and radar echoes respectively.

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