Hong Kong's record lack of sunshine nothing to be SAD about
Psychiatrist says don't fear the odd gloomy year, despite just 1,550 ray-filled hours in 2012
Felt a bit depressed last year but couldn't put your finger on why? Maybe it was because Hong Kong had the fewest hours of sunlight since records began in 1885.
According to the annual weather report issued by the Observatory, 2012 was exceptionally overcast - with only 1,550 hours of sunshine.
February was the gloomiest month, with just 38.1 hours. January came second, with only 86 hours.
In comparison, that capital of gloom, Edinburgh, Scotland, is only slightly less sun-deprived, recording about 1,421 sunny hours a year.
A lack of sunlight can lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - common in Scandinavian countries - but a psychiatrist said it was not a concern in the city.
Psychiatrist Tsang Fan-kwong said gloomy years came only every so often and because Hong Kong was a subtropical city it didn't have people suffering from SAD.
Fung shui master Raymond Lo, also known as "Fung Shui Lo", said the dark days had been predicted.
"The gloom was expected as it was the year of the water dragon," Lo said. He described the year as "flooded by dark and cold water" and said it was a comparatively bad year for everyone. "There were a lot of troubles, including the Lamma ferry tragedy."
Looking forward, Lo said 2013 would be a year of blessings and happiness as the nature of the year was "fire" - red and bright.
Chinese historians have long drawn connections between extreme weather and the overthrow of regimes. So perhaps those lawmakers calling for the ousting of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying should forget their petitioning and instead pray for rain.
After all, the handover of Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997, is remembered for the deluge that fell in the hours before and after the ceremony.
