A colder and exceptionally wet February

     With a stronger than normal winter monsoon affecting southern China in the month, the weather of Hong Kong was much colder than usual in February 2022. The monthly mean temperature was 15.2 degrees, 1.9 degrees below the normal figure of 17.1 degrees. Mainly owing to the continuous rain episode from February 19 to 22, the month was also much wetter than usual with a total rainfall of 168.5 millimetres, more than four times of the normal of 38.9mm and the sixth highest on record for February. The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first two months of the year was 172.6mm, more than two times the normal figure of 71.9mm for the same period.
 
     Under the influence of the winter monsoon and a broad cloud band over southern China, the weather was cloudy with a few rain patches on the first three days of the month. With the cloud band thinned out by the drier northerly airstream, local weather turned generally fine in the afternoon of February 4. The northerly airstream also brought cold mornings to the territory from February 3 to 4. With winds gradually turning to the east, it was mainly cloudy with sunny intervals on February 5. Affected by a fresh to strong easterly airstream, there were sunny periods the next day. With a broad band of clouds covering southern China, the weather turned cloudy with a few rain and mist patches on February 7. Local weather remained mainly cloudy from February 8 to 10. There were a few rain patches in the morning of February 8.
 
     With the cloud band thinning out, the weather became generally fine on February 11. Under the influence of an easterly airstream, there were morning mists and sunny periods during the day on February 12. A cold front moved across the coastal areas of Guangdong during the day on February 13. The weather turned cloudy and cooler with a few rain and mist patches on that day. Under the influence of a dry continental airstream, local weather became generally fine and dry later on February 14. With winds freshening from the east, local weather turned cloudier with sunny periods during the day from February 15 to 16. Affected by a strong easterly airstream and a cloud band covering the coast of Guangdong, it was cloudy and cool with a few rain and mist patches on the next two days.
 
     A cold front moved across the coastal areas of Guangdong in the small hours of February 19. Under the influence of the associated intense winter monsoon and the upper-air disturbances, the weather became overcast and cold with frequent rain from February 19 to 22, during which more than 150mm of rainfall were generally recorded over the territory. The prolonged cold and rainy weather also brought the temperature recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) down to 7.5 degrees on the morning of February 21, the lowest of the month. With the departure of the upper-air disturbances, the weather turned generally fine with cold mornings from February 23 to 25. With the moderation of the winter monsoon, local weather remained generally fine with temperatures rising progressively towards the end of the month. In the afternoon of February 28, the temperature recorded at the HKO rose to a maximum of 22.5 degrees, the highest of the month.
 
     There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in February 2022.
 
     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in February are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for February are tabulated in Table 2.