A resident drinks water to beat the heat at a beach in Hong Kong on July 12, 2023. (ANDY CHONG  / CHINA DAILY)

HONG KONG – Hong Kong was "exceptionally hot" in July due to a stronger than usual subtropical ridge dominating over southern China for most of the month, the Hong Kong Observatory said Wednesday.

The HKO said in a statement that the monthly mean maximum temperature of 33.0 degrees Celsius and monthly mean temperature of 30.1 C were respectively 1.4 degrees and 1.2 degrees above normal levels, and “were the third highest on record for July”.

The month was also much drier than usual with only 175.2 millimeters of rainfall, or about 45 percent of the normal of 385.8 millimeters, the HKO said.

The maximum temperature at the Observatory soared to 36.1 C on the afternoon of July 27, the highest for the month and one of the highest monthly absolute maximum temperatures on record for July, the HKO said

The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first seven months of the year was 1,016.5 millimeters, about 31 percent below the normal figure of 1 468.2 millimeters for the same period, it added.

The Observatory said that, under the influence of a broad trough of low pressure and the subsequent southwesterly airstream, the weather of Hong Kong was mainly cloudy with occasional showers and squally thunderstorms on the first four days of the month.

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With the rain weather, temperatures at the Observatory dropped to a minimum of 26.2 C on July 1 and 2, the lowest of the month, the HKO said.

An area of low pressure near northern Luzon intensified into a tropical depression on July 14 and was later named as Talim.

Strong to gale force winds generally affected the territory with occasional storm force winds on high ground on July 17, necessitating the issuance of the first No.8 Gale or Storm Signal this year.

As Talim departed from Hong Kong and weakened over inland areas, local winds moderated gradually later on July 17 and the next day.

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More than 40 millimeters of rainfall were generally recorded over most parts of the territory on these two days and rainfall even exceeded 90 millimeters in parts of Tai Po and North districts, the HKO said.

Under the influence of the outer subsiding air of tropical cyclone Doksuri, it was generally fine and extremely hot during the day on July 26 and 27.

The maximum temperature at the Observatory soared to 36.1 C on the afternoon of July 27, the highest for the month and one of the highest monthly absolute maximum temperatures on record for July, the HKO said.

The daily mean temperature on that day reached 32.2 C, the highest on record for July, it added.

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Affected by an active southerly airstream, the weather turned showery with squally thunderstorms on July 29 and 30.

The HKO said more than 40 millimeters of rainfall were recorded over most parts of the territory and rainfall even exceeded 100 millimeters over parts of Tai Po, Sha Tin, Tuen Mun and North districts on these two days.