The Weather of October 2004

    October 2004 was sunnier and much drier than normal. The total duration of bright sunshine of 257.4 hours was 62.4 hours above normal. The monthly rainfall of 2.3 mm was only about 2 percent of the normal figure. The accumulated rainfall since 1 January amounted to 1738.2 millimetres, about 19 percent below the normal of 2151.9 millimetres for the same period.

    On 1 October, it was fine and hazy during the day. As a cold front moved across the south China coast that night, winds strengthened from the north and there were some light rain patches. It became cooler the following day. Temperature continued to drop to a minimum of 20.9 degrees in the morning of 3 October, the lowest so far this autumn. With a continental anticyclone established over China, the weather became generally fine and dry in Hong Kong and remained so until 25 October. Haze was reported on 12, 20 and 25 October.

    Under the dry condition, over 90 cases of hill fires were reported in Chung Yeung Festival on 22 October. In Tai Po, 24 people were trapped by hill fire and had to be led to safety by firemen.

    A major replenishment of the northeast monsoon arrived at the south China coast on the morning of 26 October. Winds strengthened from the north and the Strong Monsoon Signal was issued that morning. Although it was mainly fine during the day on 26 October, there was some rain at night. The weather turned fine and became cooler on 27 October. Sunny weather continued for the rest of the month.

    A total of three 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 1.3.  Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for October are tabulated in Table 2.