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The Weather of November 2008

    November 2008 was brighter and warmer than usual. The total duration of bright sunshine was 216.0 hours, about 21 percent above the normal figure of 178.2 hours. The monthly mean relative humidity was 65 percent, about 5 percent below normal. The monthly mean temperature of 21.9 degrees was 0.5 degrees above normal. The monthly total rainfall of 54.3 millimetres, of which 51.2 millimetres were recorded in a rain episode on 3 November, was about 55 percent above normal. The accumulated rainfall since 1 January was 3057.2 millimetres, about 30 percent above the normal figure of 2348.2 millimetres for the same period.

    Affected by a broad cloud band over southern China, the weather in Hong Kong was cloudy with a few light rain patches for the first two days of the month. The passage of a cold front on 3 November brought rainy and slightly cooler weather to the territory on that day. It remained mainly cloudy for the ensuing four days.

    Another cold front crossed the coastal areas of Guangdong on the morning of 8 November and the associated northeast monsoon brought cooler weather to Hong Kong on 8 and 9 November. With further strengthening of the northeast monsoon over the south China coastal areas, cool and very dry weather prevailed over the next three days. Under the influence of a continental flow, the weather was sunny from 13 to 18 November.

    A replenishment of the northeast monsoon reached the south China coast on 19 November, bringing cool and dry conditions to the territory from 19 to 21 November. A broad cloud band covering the coastal areas of Guangdong and the northern part of the South China Sea brought cloudy weather to Hong Kong on 22 November. The cloud thinned out on 23 November and it was fine and dry from 24 to 26 November. The northeast monsoon affecting southern China intensified and brought cooler, windy and very dry weather to the territory on 27 November. It was rather cool on the morning of 28 November. The air temperature recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory on that day fell to a minimum of 12.5 degrees, the lowest of the month. The weather remained rather cool and very dry for the last two days of the month.

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

    Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarized in Tables 1.1 to 1.4.  Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for November are tabulated in Table 2.


 

Warnings and Signals issued in November 2008


Table 1.1   Strong Monsoon Signal

Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
9 / 11 0110 9 / 11 1150
27 / 11 0445 27 / 11 1030
27 / 11 1440 28 / 11 0630


Table 1.2   Thunderstorm Warning

Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
3 / 11 0945 3 / 11 1145


Table 1.3   Fire Danger Warnings

Colour Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
Yellow 9 / 11 0000 10 / 11 0030
Red 10 / 11 0030 13 / 11 2315
Red 14 / 11 1145 14 / 11 1945
Yellow 16 / 11 0000 16 / 11 2215
Red 19 / 11 0000 22 / 11 0600
Yellow 22 / 11 0600 23 / 11 2315
Red 24 / 11 0600 3 / 12 0600


Table 1.4   Cold Weather Warning

Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
28 / 11 1620 29 / 11 0845


Table 2   Figures and Departures from Normal - November 2008

Meteorological Element Figure of the Month Departure from Normal*
Mean Daily Maximum Air Temperature 24.5 degrees C 0.5 degree above normal
Mean Air Temperature 21.9 degrees C 0.5 degree above normal
Mean Daily Minimum Air Temperature 19.8 degrees C 0.4 degree above normal
Mean Dew Point Temperature 14.7 degrees C 0.6 degree below normal
Mean Relative Humidity 65 % 5 % below normal
Mean Cloud Amount 48 % 5 % below normal
Total Rainfall 54.3 mm 19.2 mm above normal
Number of hours of Reduced VisibilityΔ 128 hours 27.3 hours below normal§
Total Bright Sunshine Duration 216.0 hours 37.8 hours above normal
Mean Daily Global Solar Radiation 14.23 Megajoule / square metre 1.59 Megajoule above normal
Total Evaporation 113.9 mm 1.4 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 November 2008

Extract of Meteorological Observations in Hong Kong for November 2008