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The Weather of November 2005

     November 2005 was much warmer than normal. The mean minimum temperature of 21.4 degrees equals the record high for November set in 1998. The monthly mean temperature of 23.0 degrees was also the fourth highest for November. The total rainfall in the month was only 1.6 millimetres, 33.5 millimetres below the normal figure. The accumulated rainfall since 1 January was 3205.0 millimetres, 47 % above the normal figure of 2187.0 millimetres for the same period.

     It was mainly cloudy on the first two days of the month. Clouds dispersed on 3 November and the weather became generally fine and warm for the next nine days under the influence of a ridge of high pressure. On 10 November, the visibility in the harbour dropped below 2000 metres in mist patches in the morning. The weather turned cloudy on 13 and 14 November as winds freshened from the east.

     In the absence of any significant surge of the northeast monsoon, the first two weeks of the month was unseasonably warm in Hong Kong. The mean minimum temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory during the period was 24.1 degrees, the highest for the same period in November.

     A cold front moved across the south China coast on the early morning of 15 November and brought some rain to the territory. The weather became cooler that night. The dry continental airstream behind the cold front cleared the sky on 16 November. With the northeast monsoon prevailing over southern China, the weather in Hong Kong was fine, dry and cool in the following six days. The temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory dropped to a minimum of 15.4 degrees on 20 November, the lowest in the month. The weather became hazy on 23 November and remained so until the end of the month.

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

     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarized in Table 1.  Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for November are tabulated in Table 2.


 

Warnings and Signals issued in November 2005


Table 1   Fire Danger Warnings

Colour Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
Yellow 6 / 11 0615 6 / 11 1800
Yellow 13 / 11 0845 13 / 11 1800
Yellow 19 / 11 0000 20 / 11 2315
Yellow 27 / 11 0600 27 / 11 1830


Table 2   Figures and Departures from Normal - November 2005

Meteorological Element Figure of the Month Departure from Normal*
Mean Daily Maximum Air Temperature 25.0 degrees C 0.8 degree above normal
Mean Air Temperature 23.0 degrees C 1.6 degrees above normal
Mean Daily Minimum Air Temperature 21.4 degrees C 2.2 degrees above normal
Mean Dew Point Temperature 18.6 degrees C 3.4 degrees above normal
Mean Relative Humidity 77 % 8 % above normal
Mean Cloud Amount 55 % 2 % above normal
Total Rainfall 1.6 mm 33.5 mm below normal
Number of hours of Reduced VisibilityΔ 219 hours 90.9 hours above normal§
Total Bright Sunshine Duration 210.0 hours 28.5 hours above normal
Mean Daily Global Solar Radiation 12.53 Megajoule / square metre 0.86 Megajoule below normal
Total Evaporation 93.1 mm 36.0 mm below normal


  Remarks : All measurements were made at the Hong Kong Observatory except sunshine, solar radiation and evaporation which were recorded at King's Park Meteorological Station and visibility which was observed at the Hong Kong International Airport.
  Δ

The visibility readings at the Hong Kong International Airport are based on hourly observations by professional meteorological observers in 2004 and before, and average readings over the 10-minute period before the clock hour of the visibility meter near the middle of the south runway from 2005 onwards. The change of the data source in 2005 is an improvement of the visibility assessment using instrumented observations following the international trend.

Before 10 October 2007, the number of hours of reduced visibility at the Hong Kong International Airport in 2005 and thereafter displayed in this web page was based on hourly visibility observations by professional meteorological observers. Since 10 October 2007, the data have been revised using the average visibility readings over the 10-minute period before the clock hour, as recorded by the visibility meter near the middle of the south runway.


  *   Departure from 1961-1990 climatological normal, except for number of hours of reduced visibility.
  §   Departure from mean value between 1997 and 2004.


daily values of selected meteorological elements for HK for November 2005

Extract of Meteorological Observations in Hong Kong for November 2005