With the northeast monsoon over southern China generally weaker than normal for most of the time in February, that particular month was much warmer than usual, the Hong Kong Observatory said today.

The monthly mean minimum temperature of 17.6 degrees Celsius, monthly mean temperature of 19.4 degrees and monthly mean maximum temperature of 21.9 degrees were higher than normal, and respectively the fourth, the fifth and one of the seventh highest on record for February.

Together with the well above normal temperatures in December 2023 and January 2024, this winter was exceptionally warm.

February was also drier than usual, with total rainfall of only 4.1mm, about 11% of the normal level.

The accumulated rainfall in the first two months of 2024 was 10.8mm, about 85% below the normal level for the same period.