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The Weather of February 2015

3rd March 2015

    February 2015 was a month of two halves : mostly fine and dry in the first half, and generally cloudy and humid in the second half.  Overall, it was warmer than usual with a monthly mean temperature of 17.5 degrees compared to the normal figure of 16.8 degrees.  The monthly rainfall was 32.0 millimetres, less than 60 percent of the normal figure of 54.4 millimetres.  The accumulated rainfall of 73.7 millimetres in the first two months of the year was about 7 percent below the normal figure of 78.9 millimetres for the same period.

    Under the influence of the northeast monsoon, the weather in Hong Kong was cool and cloudy with light rain patches on the first day of the month.  Apart from some haze, it turned mainly fine in the next couple of days.  A replenishment of the northeast monsoon reached the coast of Guangdong and brought generally cloudy condition to the territory on 4 February.  Local weather became cold with light rain patches over the next two days, with temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory falling to a minimum of 11.0 degrees on the morning of 6 February, the lowest of the month.

    With the moderation of the winter monsoon, local temperatures rose by a couple of degrees on 7 February along with the return of sunny periods and some haze.  Dominated by a dry continental air mass, the weather became generally fine and dry for the ensuing seven days.  Relative humidity at the Hong Kong Observatory fell below 40 percent on 12 and 13 February.  A maritime airstream set in over the coast of Guangdong on 15 February and the proximity of a moist air mass led to the formation of low clouds and fog patches that lingered over the coastal areas in the latter half of the month.

    A fresh to strong easterly airstream brought windy weather with light rain patches on 18-20 February as the city celebrated the Chinese New Year.  Rain got heavier on 21-23 February as rainbands associated with a trough of low pressure affected the territory.  A warm day on 26 February finally allowed some sunshine to break through the clouds and fog.  Temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory rose to a maximum of 23.7 degrees that day, the highest of the month.  Easterly winds strengthened again the next day and brought windy and cooler weather to the territory towards the end of the month.

    One tropical cyclone 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 February are tabulated in Table 2.
 

Warnings and Signals issued in February 2015


Table 1.1   Strong Monsoon Signal

Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
19 / 2 0630 20 / 2 1345
27 / 2 0845 27 / 2 1500
28 / 2 0445 28 / 2 1345


Table 1.2   Fire Danger Warnings

Colour Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
Yellow 1 / 2 1145 1 / 2 2045
Yellow 5 / 2 0600 6 / 2 1200
Red 8 / 2 0600 8 / 2 2345
Yellow 9 / 2 0600 9 / 2 1900
Yellow 10 / 2 0600 10 / 2 2130
Yellow 12 / 2 0600 13 / 2 0600
Red 13 / 2 0600 14 / 2 0600
Yellow 14 / 2 0600 14 / 2 2045
Yellow 19 / 2 1200 19 / 2 1700


Table 1.3   Cold Weather Warning

Beginning Time Ending Time
Day/Month HKT Day/Month HKT
4 / 2 1620 7 / 2 0745


Table 2   Figures and Departures from Normal - February 2015

Meteorological Element Figure of the Month Departure from Normal*
Mean Daily Maximum Air Temperature 19.5 degrees C 0.6 degree above normal
Mean Air Temperature 17.5 degrees C 0.7 degree above normal
Mean Daily Minimum Air Temperature 15.9 degrees C 0.9 degree above normal
Mean Dew Point Temperature 13.4 degrees C 0.4 degree above normal
Mean Relative Humidity 78 % 2 % below normal
Mean Cloud Amount 74 % normal
Total Rainfall 32.0 mm 22.4 mm below normal
Number of hours of Reduced VisibilityΔ 209 hours 74.3 hours above normal§
Total Bright Sunshine Duration 97.5 hours 3.3 hours above normal
Mean Daily Global Solar Radiation 10.72 Megajoule / square metre 1.33 Megajoule above normal
Total Evaporation 66.4 mm 6.5 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 1981 - 2010 climatological normal, except for number of hours of reduced visibility

  §   Departure from mean value between 1997 and 2014

daily values of selected meteorological elements for HK for February 2015

The percentile map of mean temperature of February 2015

  Remarks : Extremely high: above 95th percentile
Above normal: between 75th and 95th percentile
Normal: between 25th and 75th percentile
Below normal: between 5th and 25th percentile
Extremely low: below 5th percentile
Percentile and 5-day running average values are
computed based on the data from 1981 to 2010


Rainfall Map For February 2015 (isohyets are in millimetres)

Extract of Meteorological Observations in Hong Kong for February 2015