A cold weather front has swept down from the northeast . . . since when the temperature has fallen precipitously: at lunchtime it was a balmy 19C, it is now 9.5C.
Hong Kong Observatory predicts the temperature will drop several more degrees overnight.
Now that darkness has descended, it is time for a cup of hot chocolate . . .
The Philippines and Cuba, both have a lot in common:
Spanish rule for three hundred and fifty-odd years.
American rule by proxy during a good chunk of the 20th century.
Nominal independence for the Philippines after 1945.
Complete independence for Cuba since 1959.
Both countries are subject to extreme weather systems during the summer and early autumn: hurricanes and typhoons.
According to Prevention Web, between 1980-2008, the Philippines (disaster statistics) had six times as many hurricanes but nearly 16 (yes, sixteen) times as many fatalities as the cigar smokers in Cuba (disaster statistics).
Sadly, there's not much chance of such a disaster management programme being established and efficiently maintained in the Philippines. Not currently, anyway.
This is a country whose owners and rulers are generally pre-occupied with graft and corruption. They know how to steal from the people. They have little inclination to serve the people.
The No. 1 Standby Signal was raised at 8:35pm. No word yet from Hong Kong Observatory as to whether the No. 3 Strong Wind Signal will be raised: Hong Kong Observatory
A no-name tropical depression is moving west about 300 530 or more kilometres to the southeast of here. Around 7:15pm all hell broke loose: heavy rain, very loud thunder claps and a very bright, white, light show.
Awesome to watch and hear and feel if you are safe and sound. But something else if you are caught out in the open.
Twenty minutes later it was as though it had never happened.
Hong Kong Observatory confirms this August has been more than sultry. Based on the number of days the temperature has been 33C or higher, this is the hottest August since 1974.
Hereabouts, for the second day in a row, the temperature in the afternoon peaked at a tad over 34C.
This has been the pattern for at least the past two weeks: the yo-yo red and green.
Just before daybreak the temperature (red) drops to 28C or a tad below, and then it starts to climb so that just around the end of lunch it is hitting 33C. Meanwhile, the humidity (green) drops in inverse proportion. So although it is hot, it is not wretchedly hot + humid. The wind coming in from the west-southwest also helps keep it pleasant.
Hong Kong Observatory says July was the driest July they have records for. And that Total Bright Sunshine Duration was 16% above normal.
Cloud patrol: Tung Wan beach
Mister Bijou believes there was even more TBSD on a little island in the South China Sea. There have been some distant but mighty fine clouds to regard, but nary a thing above our heads but a blue sky and the invisible (by day) firmament. So it goes.
