Typhoon season is here! On Saturday morning, the Hong Kong Observatory issued its first Standby Signal Number 1 (T1 as it's popularly known) alert of 2023. Strong Wind Signal Number 3 (i.e., T3) was raised early yesterday. And before the day was over, Hong Kong saw its first Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 8 (T8).
I went to bed expecting it to be back to a T3 by the time I got up this morning. But the T8 actually stayed in force until 4.20pm today! Strangely though, it was pretty calm and quiet -- and not that wet -- in my part of Hong Kong for much of today. And, in fact, it didn't get really wet and windy until this evening (after Typhoon Talim's threat had been downgraded to a T3)!
Indeed, the biggest sign that there was a typhoon in the area for much of today was how much darker the sky was than normal. To see what I mean, check out the photos I took this afternoon (close to the time that the Hong Kong Observatory changed the warning signal from a T8 became a T3)! :b
A far grayer view across Victoria Harbour
than would normally be the case too!
so many of the clouds were on the dark side this afternoon
(especially over on the Dark Side (i.e., Kowloon)!)
atmosphere felt calm and rather peaceful!
to the past couple of week's heat wave) that people were happily
occupying spaces in what might be called the lounge area! ;b
dramatic looking photos like this :)
5 comments:
It been plenty hot here in the Northwest of the united states.
Coffee is on and stay safe.
Hi there,
I was in Cheung Chau last Saturday. It was 35C according to my watch. But when the Thunderstorm warning came, there had been a sudden welcomed drop to around 26-27C with gusty wind from NE. The cloud front was much darker than those you took in CWB.
Not much rain that day though as it covers mainly for Lantau. But the cloud front of those cumulonimbus clusters really looked like we may have been hailed.
T
Hi peppylady --
Sounds like it's been plenty hot in much of the Northern Hemisphere! You stay safe and cool!
Hi T --
Wow re the temperatures having dropped so much when you were in Cheung Chau last Saturday! Also, I remember reading about hail warnings -- but haven't read any reports of any hail!
Hi There,
If my memory of High School Geography is still intact, I remember reading about weather systems and cold\warm fronts. When there is a big enough cluster of Cumulonimbus, there are bound to be hail inside the convection current. It is the matter of whether the hail within would be melted before reaching the lower levels and being brought back up as water droplets.
I have actually being hailed once while I was in California some 23 years ago. I was in Pomona Fairground attending some local fair while a storm front moving rapidly towards us. Fortunately the size of those hails that time was just slightly bigger than rice. Despite that, all the open-air location turned white for a while before the ice melted. Temperature suddenly dropped then, too.
Back to HK. If you ever see a cold front coming from Westerly or NW direction towards you with very dark clouds, anytime, suggest to head for shelter.
T
Hi T --
I've been hailed on before too -- in the UK! I was at boarding school then and was out on the hockey field. The teacher told us to carry on. Stiff upper lip and all that, I suppose. All I could think of was the phrase "Mad dogs and Englishmen..."! :D
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