TROPICAL CYCLONES IN 2014
3.3 Tropical Depression : 7 – 8 September 2014
A tropical depression formed over the northern part of the South China Sea on the morning of 7 September, becoming the third tropical cyclone necessitating the issuance of tropical cyclone warning signal by the Observatory in 2014.
After forming about 340 km east-southeast of Haikou, the tropical depression moved northwestwards towards western Guangdong and the Leizhou Peninsula. It reached peak intensity that afternoon with an estimated sustained wind of 55 km/h near its centre. The tropical depression made landfall near Zhanjiang on the afternoon of 8 September and weakened into an area of low pressure over the Leizhou Peninsula that night.
In Hong Kong, the Standby Signal No. 1 was issued by the Observatory at 9:40 a.m. on 7 September when the tropical depression was about 390 km south-southwest of the territory. Local winds picked up slightly, becoming moderate to fresh easterlies and occasionally strong on high ground. At the Observatory Headquarters, the lowest instantaneous mean sea-level pressure of 1006.0 hPa was recorded at 2:38 p.m. that day when the tropical depression was about 390 km to the south-southwest. The tropical depression was closest to the territory at about 2 a.m. the next day as it skirted past about 360 km to the southwest. With the tropical depression moving gradually away from Hong Kong, local winds subsided on 8 September and all tropical cyclone warning signals were cancelled at 9:10 a.m. that morning.
Under the influence of the tropical depression, a maximum sea level (above chart datum) of 2.84 m was recorded at Tsim Bei Tsui, while a maximum storm surge (above astronomical tide) of 0.22 m was recorded at Tai Po Kau.
Affected by the outer rainbands of the tropical depression, local weather was mainly cloudy with a few squally showers and isolated thunderstorms on 7 and 8 September. More than 10 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over parts of the territory.
The tropical depression did not cause any significant damage in Hong Kong. A person swept away by freak waves at Tai Long Sai Wan on 7 September was later rescued.
Information on the maximum wind, daily rainfall and maximum sea level reached in Hong Kong during the passage of the tropical depression is given in Tables 3.3.1 - 3.3.3 respectively. Figures 3.3.1 - 3.3.4 show respectively the track of the tropical depression, the rainfall distribution for Hong Kong, a satellite imagery and a radar imagery of the tropical depression.