Unusually high July rainfall sparks flood risk concerns in Hong Kong’s rural areas
Amount recorded exceeds overall average for the month in 30-year span
Hong Kong is experiencing an unusually wet July this year, with experts warning that the recent torrential rain and flooding have underscored the need to step up measures against extreme weather events outside urban areas.
The Observatory recorded more than 500mm of rainfall in the first three weeks of July, exceeding the average rainfall of 376mm in this month for the past 30 years, including even the averages of 476mm for June and 432mm for August.
It is an abnormally high amount for a month which, according to historical trends, experiences relatively less rain than the preceding and following summer months.
Johnny Chan Chung-leung, chair professor of atmospheric science at City University, said there was usually less rain in July because of the presence of a tropical high-pressure subsystem, a phenomenon usually characterised by light winds and relatively stable weather.