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The Weather of March 2008

     March 2008 was warmer and sunnier than usual. The monthly mean temperature of 20.0 degrees was 1.1 degrees above normal. The total bright sunshine duration was 176.8 hours, about 97 percent above the normal figure of 89.6 hours. The total rainfall in the month was 57.2 millimetres, 14.2 millimetres below the normal amount. The accumulated rainfall since the beginning of the year was 118.0 millimetres, about 21 percent below the normal figure of 148.6 millimetres.

    With a continental airstream prevailing over southern China, the weather remained fine and dry from 1 to 12 March. A trough of low pressure brought generally cloudy conditions and a few rain patches to the territory on the next two days.

    Under the influence of a ridge of high pressure along the coast of southern China, the weather was mainly fine on 15 and 16 March. A humid maritime airstream set in and the weather became generally cloudy with some mist for the ensuring two days. The weather turned fine with plenty of sunshine during the day on 19 March.

    An intense northeast monsoon brought windy conditions to Hong Kong on 20 and 21 March. Thunderstorms affected the territory in the afternoon of 22 March when a cold front moved across the coast of southern China. The weather stayed cloudy with rain patches the next day.

    Under the influence of a dry northeast monsoon, local weather became fine and dry on 24 March. A broad rain-bearing cloud band covered Guangdong and brought cloudy and rainy weather to the territory in the following two days. In the morning of 27 March, the clouds thinned out and there were sunny periods.

    A maritime airstream brought warm conditions with fog patches to Hong Kong from 28 to 30 March. The temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory rose to 28.1 degrees on 29 March, the highest of the month. The visibility at Waglan Island dropped to around 100 metres in the morning of 30 March. A cold front over southern China moved southwards and crossed the coast of Guangdong in the evening of 30 March. The northeast monsoon behind the cold front brought cooler and rainy weather to the territory on the last day of the month.

    There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and 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 March are tabulated in Table 2.


 

Warnings and Signals issued in March 2008


Table 1.1   Strong Monsoon Signal

Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
20 / 3 0120 20 / 3 1130
31 / 3 2045 1 / 4 0945


Table 1.2   Thunderstorm Warning

Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
22 / 3 1315 22 / 3 1815


Table 1.3   Fire Danger Warnings

Colour Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
Yellow 28 / 2 0600 1 / 3 0600
Red 1 / 3 0600 4 / 3 1800
Yellow 4 / 3 1800 5 / 3 0600
Red 5 / 3 0600 7 / 3 0600
Yellow 7 / 3 0600 7 / 3 1800
Yellow 8 / 3 1100 9 / 3 1800
Yellow 15 / 3 0600 16 / 3 2045
Yellow 23 / 3 0645 24 / 3 1115
Red 24 / 3 1115 24 / 3 2315


Table 2   Figures and Departures from Normal - March 2008

Meteorological Element Figure of the Month Departure from Normal*
Mean Daily Maximum Air Temperature 23.4 degrees C 1.9 degrees above normal
Mean Air Temperature 20.0 degrees C 1.1 degrees above normal
Mean Daily Minimum Air Temperature 17.8 degrees C 0.9 degree above normal
Mean Dew Point Temperature 15.3 degrees C 0.2 degree below normal
Mean Relative Humidity 76 % 6 % below normal
Mean Cloud Amount 59 % 20 % below normal
Total Rainfall 57.2 mm 14.2 mm below normal
Number of hours of Reduced VisibilityΔ 265 hours 152.4 hours above normal§
Total Bright Sunshine Duration 176.8 hours 87.2 hours above normal
Mean Daily Global Solar Radiation 14.40 Megajoule / square metre 4.22 Megajoule above normal
Total Evaporation 92.4 mm 14.3 mm above 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 1971 - 2000 climatological normal, except for number of hours of reduced visibility

  §   Departure from mean value between 1997 and 2007
daily values of selected meteorological elements for HK for March 2008

Extract of Meteorological Observations in Hong Kong for March 2008