Very Hot Weather and Severe Thunderstorms on 24 July 2006

Under the influence of subsiding air outside the circulation of Typhoon Kaemi, clear skies dominated over southern China. Locally, it was very hot today (24 July 2006) with temperatures rising to 34 degrees in the urban areas. Temperatures were even higher over the New Territories, with Chek Lap Kok, Tuen Mun and Pak Tam Chung reaching 37 degrees.





High daytime temperatures also led to localized development of severe thunderstorms today (24 July 2006). Squalls associated with thunderstorms affected Hong Kong in the afternoon, with gusts of over 70 kilometres per hour recorded at Sai Kung and Kai Tak at about 4 pm. Between 3 pm and 5 pm, the lightning location network registered around 2,000 lightning strikes.

The Observatory also received reports of hail at Sai Kung at about 4 pm. For past records of nearly 40 years (1967-2005), there were altogether 33 days with hail reported, mostly in spring time (March and April). The last hail report in Hong Kong was on 21 July 2005.

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Total
Days with hail reports	0	5	8	13	1	0	3	1	2	0	0	0	33