The Weather of October 2000

    October 2000 was warmer and wetter than usual. The monthly mean temperature of 26.0 degrees was 0.8 degrees above normal and was the eighth highest for October. Furthermore, the monthly mean minimum temperature of 24.2 degrees was 1.1 degrees above normal, ranking the fifth highest for October. The monthly total rainfall of 204.1 millimetres was 41 per cent above the normal figure of 144.8 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall from January to October amounted to 2 599.5 millimetres, 21 per cent above the normal of 2 151.9 millimetres for the same period.

    It was a windy month with the Strong Monsoon Signal hoisted on 13 days of the month. On the first occasion when the Signal was hoisted this month, it lasted for a duration of 119 hours and 15 minutes from 11 October to 16 October, the longest on record.

    Under the influence of a ridge of high pressure, the month started off fine and dry. Prolonged periods of sunshine raised the temperatures to 31.2 degrees on 2 October, the highest in the month. A hill fire broke out near Clear Water Bay in dry weather. Fine weather continued on 3 October.

    A weak surge of the northeast monsoon affected the territory on 4 October. The weather remained mainly fine apart from some light rain for a couple of days.

    Apart from some isolated thundery showers, there were sunny periods on 6 and 7 October.

    It became fine during the day on 8 October and fine weather lasted for the next two days.

    Strong northeasterly winds affected the south China coastal areas and a broad rainband covered the northern part of the South China Sea on 11 and 12 October. Locally, it was cloudy with a few rain patches. A woman in Wong Tai Sin was cut by falling glass pieces of a window broken in strong winds.

    A cold front over south China moved south across the coast on 13 October and brought cooler and rainy weather to Hong Kong. A tree 12 metres tall in Sha Tin was brought down by strong winds. The weather remained overcast with rain for the following few days.

    Winds subsided on 16 October and the weather turned mainly fine apart from one or two patches of light rain. It became fine and dry on 17 October and there were altogether 13 reports of hill fire over the New Territories.

    Coupled with the effect of an area of low pressure over the central part of the South China Sea, the northeast monsoon again brought strong winds and rainy weather to Hong Kong on 18 October. Rainy and windy conditions prevailed on the next three days. Rain was heaviest and continuous on 20 October with more than 100 millimetres of rainfall recorded over most parts of Hong Kong.

    Winds moderated and rain eased off on 22 October. There were sunny periods the following few days apart from some isolated showers.

    It was generally fine on 26 October though haze was reported in the morning with visibility dropping to around 4 000 metres. It stayed mainly fine the next day but turned cloudy on 28 October.

    An intense surge of the winter monsoon reached the south China coast on the morning of 29 October. Meanwhile, Severe Tropical Storm Xangsane moved across the Philippines and entered the South China Sea. Under their combined influence, local winds were strong and gusty, occasionally reaching gale force offshore and on high ground. A scaffolding in Kwai Chung collapsed due to strong winds. The dry northerlies brought fine weather to the territory. It became appreciably cooler and temperatures fell to a minimum of 18.7 degrees on the morning of 30 October, the lowest in the month. Dry and windy conditions continued on 31 October. A hill fire covering an area of 800 000 square metres broke out in Yuen Long and 25 villagers had to be evacuated.

    Four tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in the month.

    During the month, no aircraft was diverted due to adverse weather.