|
March 1997 was sunnier and warmer than normal. The total sunshine duration amounted to 129.3 hours, 32.9 hours more than normal. As a result, the monthly mean temperature of 20.1 degrees, was 1.6 degrees above normal and the seventh highest for March. The mean minimum temperature of 18.3 degrees was also the sixth highest for March. The total rainfall for the month totalled 34.8 millimetres, only about half of the normal. However, the accumulated rainfall since 1 January, 191.1 millimetres, was 52.8 millimetres above the normal for the same period.
The month started fine and sunny. A cold front from the north crossed the south China coast on 2 March bringing drier air to the territory and temperatures dropped to 14.2 degrees, the lowest in the month, the next day. Sunny weather prevailed until a maritime airstream brought along mist and fog patches to the harbour on the mornings of 12 and 13 March. Temperatures rose to 27.1 degrees, the highest in the month, on 15 March.
The generally fine weather in the first half of the month gave way to rain in the second half. Isolated thunderstorms associated with the passage of a cold front affected the territory on 16 March. The weather remained cloudy to overcast until 19 March. The next couple of days saw outbreaks of rain and occasional thundery showers due to successive passages of troughs of low pressure.
There was widespread mist and periods of rain on 21 March. The mist was cleared by a surge of the northeast monsoon which brought along drier air late on 22 March. Winds were strong offshore on 24 March and rain gradually eased off the next day.
Another trough of low pressure approached the territory on 28 March and again brought along thundery showers the next day.
It became fine and sunny on 30 March. Winds freshened the next day as another surge of the northeast monsoon reached the territory. The weather on the last day of the month was fine but hazy.
No tropical cyclone occurred in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea in the month.
During the month, one aircraft was diverted due to adverse weather. |