The Weather of March 2001

    March 2001 was warmer and drier than usual. The mean temperature of 20.6 degrees was 2.1 degrees above normal, and was the fourth highest for March. The mean minimum temperature of 18.6 degrees, also 2.1 degrees above normal, was the fifth highest for March. The monthly rainfall was 56.5 millimetres, 10.4 millimetres less than normal. The accumulated rainfall in the first three months of the year amounted to 115.0 millimetres, 17 per cent below the normal figure of 138.3 millimetres for the same period.

    The rainstorm on 25 March necessitated the issuance of the Amber Rainstorm Warning, the first time in the month of March since the revised rainstorm warning system came into effect in 1998. This was also the earliest rainstorm warning in the year since 1998.

    Under the influence of the northeast monsoon, the month started off fine and dry. The weather was cool on the morning of 1 March and temperatures fell to a minimum of 14.3 degrees, the lowest in the month.

    A cloud band moved north from the South China Sea and brought cloudier weather to Hong Kong on 2 March.

    It was hazy on the afternoon of 3 March. A replenishment of the northeast monsoon arrived at Hong Kong in the evening and cleared the haze. Northerly winds strengthened briefly overnight and brought some light rain. The weather was very dry during the day on 4 March with relative humidity falling below 40 per cent and the sky became clear. Fine weather lasted for the next couple of days.

    Under the influence of a maritime airstream, mist occurred over parts of the territory on 7 March and the weather was warm during the day. Winds strengthened from the east later in the evening with the passage of a cold front, but moderated and turned northerly the next morning. The weather became cool with light rain on 8 and 9 March.

    With a broad cloud band covering south China, the weather in Hong Kong remained cloudy with some light rain the following three days. Clouds dispersed on 13 March.

    A humid maritime airstream affected the coastal areas of Guangdong on 16 March and fog patches formed over the waters of Hong Kong. Mist and drizzle continued to affect the territory the next three days.

    With a weak cold front along the coast of Guangdong, the weather was cloudy with some light rain on 20 March. After the passage of this front later in the evening, a ridge of high pressure dominated over the south China coastal areas and brought sunny periods to Hong Kong on 21 and 22 March.

    Under the influence of a warm and humid maritime airstream, fog patches again developed on the mornings of 23 and 24 March. Sunny periods in the afternoon raised the temperature to a maximum of 27.9 degrees on 24 March, the highest in the month.

    An active cold front crossed the coast of Guangdong on 25 March and brought heavy rain with squally thunderstorms to Hong Kong in the afternoon. Over 50 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over the western part of Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island, necessitating the issuance of the Amber Rainstorm Warning. A road in Pok Fu Lam subsided and a minor landslip occurred in Kennedy Town. A tree 7 metres tall collapsed in Repulse Bay. Eight hikers were stranded in a stream near Tung Chung and had to be rescued by firemen.

    Under the influence of a trough of low pressure over the northern part of the South China Sea, the weather stayed cloudy with some rain on 26 and 27 March. Rain eased off on 28 March and there were sunny periods during the day.

    A cold front crossed Hong Kong early on 29 March bringing some rain, but the weather turned mainly fine later that day. Generally fine weather continued till the end of the month.

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