The Weather of February 2001

    February 2001 was warmer and drier than usual. The mean temperature of 17.6 degrees, 1.7 degrees above normal, was the ninth highest for February. The mean minimum temperature of 15.5 degrees, 1.6 degrees above normal, was also the ninth highest for February. The monthly rainfall was only 10.9 millimetres, 37.1 millimetres less than normal. The accumulated rainfall in the first two months of the year amounted to 58.5 millimetres, 18 per cent below the normal figure of 71.4 millimetres for the same period.

    A replenishment of the northeast monsoon brought cool weather to Hong Kong for the first few days of the month. There were some light rain patches from a broad cloud band covering the coast of Guangdong. Visibility dropped to around 2000 metres in drizzle on 3 and 4 February.

    Under the influence of a humid easterly airstream, there were mist patches on the mornings of 5 and 6 February. The weather became warmer under sunny periods in the afternoon.

    It was fine but hazy on 7 February. A cold front crossed the south China coast later during the day and local winds freshened from the north clearing the haze. The weather became appreciably cooler and it turned cloudy on 8 February. It remained cloudy and cool with some light rain patches in the following three days. It became warm on the afternoon of 12 February as clouds dissipated giving way to periods of sunshine.

    Another cold front crossed the south China coast on 13 February. Strong northerly winds brought cold weather to Hong Kong and temperatures fell to a minimum of 10.5 degrees on 14 February, the lowest in the month. Winds moderated later during the day and the weather was generally fine and very dry the next few days.

    A ridge of high pressure over the southeastern part of China brought fine and warm weather to Hong Kong on 18 February and these conditions lasted for the following few days apart from some haze or mist.

    There was widespread fog on the early morning of 24 February with visibility dropping below 1000 metres inside the harbour. Plenty of sunshine in the afternoon raised the maximum temperature to 26.0 degrees, the highest in the month. A surge of the northeast monsoon reached the coast of Guangdong and local winds strengthened overnight. A sampan capsized near Cheung Chau with three men rescued and two missing. The weather became significantly cooler and rainy on 25 February with temperatures falling to around 13 degrees in the urban areas. Rain eased off on 26 February though it was still very cool in the morning.

    With the moderation of the northeast monsoon, the weather became warmer on 27 February. Cloudy weather continued and there was haze over parts of the territory.

    It was foggy with light rain on the morning of 28 February and visibility inside the harbour fell below 1000 metres. Northerly winds freshened later during the day clearing the fog and the weather became cooler.

    There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in the month.