The Weather of January 2014

    Under the dominance of a dry northeast monsoon for most part of the month, the weather in January 2014 was sunnier and drier than usual.  The mean amount of cloud for the month was 32 percent, tied with 1986 as the fourth lowest record for January.  With less cloud cover, the total duration of bright sunshine in the month was 238.8 hours, tying with 1902 as the sixth highest record for January.  Only traces of rainfall were recorded in the month, making it one of the second driest Januarys on record.  The monthly mean temperature of 16.3 degrees was on par with the normal.  

    Under the influence of a dry northeast monsoon, it was sunny with a cool morning in Hong Kong on the first day of the month.  The weather remained fine as the northeast monsoon moderated and the temperature rose gradually in the next three days.  A replenishment of the northeast monsoon brought cooler weather to the territory again on 5 and 6 January.  Affected by an easterly airstream, the weather became mainly cloudy with a few light rain patches on 7 January.  A cold front formed over southern China and moved across the coastal areas of Guangdong on 8 January, bringing clouds and low visibility that afternoon.  The weather remained cloudy and became cooler in the next two days.  Sunny and dry weather returned on 11 January as a dry continental airstream affected the territory, with some haze reported on 12 January. 

    With further replenishment of cold air from the north, local weather became appreciably colder on 13 January. Fine and cold weather persisted in the next three days.  With dry continental air prevailing over the territory, it was mostly sunny in the latter part of the month.  Relative humidity dropped below 40 percent on 18 and 20-22 January. Meanwhile, the winter monsoon strengthened and the weather became cold again on 22 and 23 January. Temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory fell to a minimum of 10.3 degrees on the morning of 22 January, the lowest of the month.  

    With the weakening of the winter monsoon, local temperatures recovered gradually in the next three days.  The temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory reached a maximum of 24.4 degrees on 26 January, the highest of the month.  Visibility dropped later that day as an easterly airstream freshened along the coastal areas of Guangdong, bringing slightly cooler weather in the morning on 27 and 28 January.  But with plenty of sunshine, the weather remained mild during the day towards the end of the month. 

    Two tropical cyclones occurred 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 January are tabulated in Table 2.