An unseasonably warm autumn

An unseasonably warm autumn
(3 December 2008)

The mean temperature of 25.8 degrees for the three month period from September to November this year recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory equalled the record set in 2005, making this autumn the warmest since records began in 1884.

In 2008, the mean temperature for September recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory equalled the record set in 1969, while the October monthly mean temperature set a new record and the November monthly mean temperature was above normal by 0.5 degrees.

The longer than normal duration of sunshine in Hong Kong this autumn and the weaker than normal northeast monsoon over southern China in October were the main reasons for the unseasonably warm autumn this year.

Mean temperatures for the 10 warmest autumns recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory Headquarters