The Weather of November 2002

    November 2002 was drier than usual.  The monthly rainfall of 23.3 millimetres was 34 per cent below the normal amount.  However the accumulated rainfall since 1 January of 2 425.9 millimetres was 11 per cent higher than the normal figure of 2 187.0 millimetres for the same period.

    The weather was fine in the first two weeks of November 2002, with occasional strengthening of the northeast monsoon.  Some scaffoldings were blown down and some sign boards were damaged by the strong northerly winds during the small hours of 4 November.  It was also very dry on that day with the mean relative humidity dropping to 43%.  On 7 November, haze occurred as the northeast monsoon subsided.  The visibility dropped to below 4 000 metres in the western part of the territory that day.

    The territory came under the influence of a warm southerly airstream on 15 November, which brought the day time temperature to a maximum of 28.0 degrees, the highest in the month.  Temperatures dropped sharply that evening as a cold front crossed the coast of Guangdong.  The cloud band associated with the cold front also brought some rain to the territory in the next 4 days, ending the spell of fine weather.

    The weather improved on 20 November.  There were long periods of sunshine in the next 2 days.  Under light winds, it was hazy on 23 November.  A replenishment of the northeast monsoon reached Hong Kong in the early morning of 24 November, bringing with it some light rain patches.  It turned fine quickly while the temperature fell gradually under the cool continental airstream.  In the morning of 26 November, the minimum temperature dropped to 16.2 degrees, the lowest this month.

    A moist easterly airstream set in on 27 November, bringing some rain patches to the territory.  It remained overcast with intermittent rain in the last 3 days of the month.

    Two tropical cyclones occurred in the western North Pacific in the month.

    Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarized in Tables 1.1 to 1.2.  Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for November are tabulated in Table 2.