The Hong Kong Observatory today said that November was much warmer than usual, with the monthly mean maximum temperature reaching 26.4 degrees Celsius, 2.3 degrees above the normal figure and the highest on record for November.

The monthly mean temperature was 23.5 degrees Celsius and the mean minimum temperature was 21.7 degrees Celsius, both the second highest on record for November.

The autumn from September to November was the joint fourth warmest one on record, the observatory added. The mean temperature was 25.8 degrees Celsius, 0.8 degrees above normal.

It noted that the city's weather was generally fine and dry during the day on the first eight days of November. With plenty of sunshine, the maximum temperature soared to 30.2 degrees Celsius on November 7, being the highest of the month and the hottest Winter Commences on record.

Affected by a replenishment of the northeast monsoon, the weather became windier with cooler mornings towards the end of the month. The temperature on November 30 dropped to the month's lowest of 16.4 degrees Celsius.

The month was also drier than usual, with 5.1mm of rainfall recorded, which was about one-eighth of the normal figure of 37.6mm.