August was wetter than usual, with thunderstorm warnings issued on 18 days and 488.5mm of rain recorded, 25% above normal.

However, accumulated rainfall for the year is 1,568.6mm, about 8% below normal. Total bright sunshine duration for the month was 165.9 hours, about 20% below normal.

It was sunny and hot on the first three days. Showers and thunderstorms associated with a broad trough of low pressure which developed over southern China affected Hong Kong on August 4. Heavy showers on August 6 brought over 150mm of rain to Sai Kung and eastern Hong Kong.

Under the influence of a ridge of high pressure, the weather in Hong Kong became fine on August 7 and continued over the next three days. The temperature on August 10 rose to 33.9 degrees Celsius, the highest for the month.

Hot and hazy

With light winds on August 18 and 19, it was hot and hazy. Visibility fell to below one kilometre in some areas. Showers associated with a trough of low pressure cleared the haze on August 20.

After skirting the northern part of Taiwan on August 24 and 25, Typhoon Aere made landfall near Xiamen the following day. With Aere moving west-southwest towards Guangdong, Hong Kong issued the Standby Signal No.1 on August 26.

Aere weakened into an area of low pressure over central Guangdong on August 27. A broad area of low pressure associated with the remnants of Aere continued to affect the south China coast for the rest of the month, bringing overcast and rainy weather to Hong Kong.

Rain was heavy on August 29, with about 200mm recorded on Lantau Island and in Tsuen Wan.

Nine tropical cyclones occurred in the western north Pacific and the South China Sea. Click here for warnings and signals issued in the month. For monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for August, click here.