Tropical Storm Ewiniar helps make June weather wetter than average in Hong Kong

If you felt last month in Hong Kong was hotter and wetter than the usual June, you’d be right.

Figures released by the Hong Kong Observatory in its monthly round-up on Wednesday showed the mean temperature was 0.7 degrees Celsius up on the average, clocking in at 28.6 (83.4 Fahrenheit).

The above-normal reading followed a heatwave in May which saw temperatures hit a sweltering 38 degrees in some parts of the city.

June’s heat was accompanied by slightly increased rainfall of 458.8mm, up on the average of 456.1 for the month.

Typhoon signal No 3 issued as tropical storm Ewiniar brings floods to Hong Kong

But that did little to counter a very dry start to the year. Rainfall in the first five months amounted to just 633.8mm – 42 per cent down on the average.

The extra rain in June was helped by the arrival of Tropical Storm Ewiniar early in the month. The storm brought a welcome dip in temperatures for many residents after a very dry and hot May.

Ewiniar skirted the east coast of Hainan Island on June 2 before moving towards coastal areas of western Guangdong province, and pummelling Hong Kong with thunderstorms from June 4.

The Observatory issued its first tropical cyclone warning of the year the next day before the storm made landfall on June 7, and drifted towards the Pearl River Delta as it weakened. Its rainbands brought more than 170mm of rain to Hong Kong between June 6 and 8.

The city’s first amber rainstorm warning of 2018 was issued on June 6. The signal indicates heavy rain of more than 30mm has fallen in an hour or is expected to fall generally over the city.

A red rainstorm signal, warning of 50mm, was issued on June 8 – also the first of the year.

Three waterspouts were spotted in the month in the seas around Hong Kong, on June 7, 12 and 22.