Climate & Weather

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=105 BGCOLOR="#AAAAAA" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Kayak-and-Hike</B></FONT><B>  |</B><B>  </B> H<A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="natural excursion ideals"><U>ome</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Introduction"><U>Introduction</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Adventures Photos"><U> Adventures & Photos</U></A>   |   Climate & Weather   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Map"><U>Map</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Client Feedback"><U>Client Feedback</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Details"><U>Contact + Details</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=375 BGCOLOR="#AAAAAA" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <A HREF="http://www.weather.org.hk" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.weather.org.hk"><U><B>http://www.weather.org.hk/</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://weather.is.kochi-u.ac.jp/SE/00Latest.jpg" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://weather.is.kochi-u.ac.jp/SE/00Lat"><U><B>http://weather.is.kochi-u.ac.jp/SE/00Latest.jpg</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>Hong Kong is situated on the southeast coast of China just south of the </B><B>tropic of Cancer, on much the same latitude as Hawaii or Calcutta. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The climate is subtropical, but tends toward temperate for nearly half the year. Due to the huge land mass of Asia generating powerful blasts of frigid wind that blow from the North during winter. In summer, the seasonal wind reverses and blows from the South bringing hot, humid tropical air. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In brief -</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>KAYAK - </B></div> <div> <B>Generally all year round, best months -    MAY - JUNE - JULY - AUGUST - SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>HIKE -  </B></div> <div> <B>Again all year round, but more pleasant in - SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER - NOVEMBER - DECEMBER - JANUARY - FEBRUARY</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>KAYAK AND HIKE - </B></div> <div> <B>All year - AUGUST - SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER - NOVEMBER - DECEMBER</B></div> <div> <B>Cool for kayaking in Winter months and hot for hiking during Summer.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>September brings a hint of cooler weather and the start of our Autumn and hiking season. </B></div> <div> <B>Late October to December usually brings our best weather for hiking. Sunny dry weather with cool breezes, though for most of November it's still warm enough to go swimming.</B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B>January and February are more cloudy and see occasional cold fronts. Temperatures can drop below 10'C in the New Territories. Not much rain falls, but when it does, it's usually chilly. Therefore wind breakers and fleeces are necessary. The sea surface temperature is warmer around 15'C. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Our mountains are often shrouded in mist, which is not unlike a European Autumn. Even during winter, there are windless days when the weather becomes balmy. Winter weather usually continues into March and often ends abruptly when the cold wind stop and is met by the first Southerly breezes. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>March to April / May is generally unpredictable as a mix of cold and warm air creates a higher chance of rain and humidity as big thunderstorms become more frequent as June approaches.</B></div> <div> <B> </B></div> <div> <B>The summer heat often doesn't arrive until June and this month tends to be the wettest, with the beginning of the summer monsoon and typhoon season. </B></div> <div> <B>Typhoons vary in size from tropical storms to severe super-typhoons. If the typhoon passes by Hong Kong at a distance, it will bring a little rain and wind that might only last for half a day.  When a typhoon becomes a possibility, warnings are broadcast continuously on TV and radio.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>On into July and August, temperatures usually hover between 26*C and 34*C through to the middle of September. This time is ideal to be out on the water paddling around the bays and beaches. Though there are occasional cool breezes off the sea, the heat is generally oppressive for long hikes, but clear skies and good visibiliy are the rewards.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>OTHER FACTS</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Situated on southeast coast of China latitude 22 degrees to 23 degrees north longitude 114 degrees to 115 degrees east.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Consists of some 236 offshore islands and islets and a small portion of the mainland east of Pearl River estuary adjoining Guangdong Province of People's Republic of China.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Mostly steep infertile hillside covered in parts with dense scrub. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Highest peak Tai Mo Shan 975 metres or 3,198 feet.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Climate: Subtropical and governed by monsoons; cool dry winters; hot humid summers; temperature range: 0 degrees Celsius to 36 degrees Celsius; and, average annual rainfall 2,214.3 mm, mostly in summer between May and September, sometimes accompanied by tropical cyclones and typhoons. </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Status: Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( SAR ) as of July 1 1997 </B></div> <div> <B>Population: </B></div> <div> <B>6.975 million                                                  </B></div> <div> <B>Hong Kong Island: </B></div> <div> <B>1.41 million - 20.6% - In 80 square km                                        </B></div> <div> <B>Kowloon:</B></div> <div> <B>2.12 - million 31.0% - In 47 square km                                             </B></div> <div> <B>New Territories: </B></div> <div> <B>3.29 million - 48.2% - In 796 square km                     </B></div> <div> <B>Outlying Islands:           175 square km                                    </B></div> <div> <B>Marine:</B></div> <div> <B> 0.01 milion - 0.2%                                                            </B></div> <div> <B>Median age:</B></div> <div> <B>36.2 Under 15: 16.9% Over 64:10.7% </B></div> <div> <B>Life expectancy:           </B></div> <div> <B>77.2# Male          82.6# Female                                        </B></div> <div> <B>Main languages:           </B></div> <div> <B>Chinese, English.                                                                       </B></div> <div> <B>Official Languages:      </B></div> <div> <B>Chinese, English.                                                                       </B></div> <div> <B>Main religions:           </B></div> <div> <B>Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism.                               </B></div> <div> <B>Time:                     </B></div> <div> <B>Greenwich Mean Time plus 8 hours. </B></div> <div> <B>Currency:                </B></div> <div> <B>HK$ 7.8 = US $ 1.                                                                      </B></div> <div> <B>Average wage:           </B></div> <div> <B>HK $ 11,407 per month</B></div> <div> <B>Area:                    </B></div> <div> <B>1,098 square km</B></div> <div> <B>Employment:          </B></div> <div> <B>3.26 million</B></div> <div> <B>Unemployment:          </B></div> <div> <B>6.2%                                        </B></div> <div> <B>Land reclaimed from the sea since 1887:      </B></div> <div> <B>62 square Km. </B></div> <div> <B>Exports: </B></div> <div> <B>clothing and textiles, miscellaneous manufactured articles, electrical machinery and appliances, telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing equipment, photographic and optical goods, watches and clocks, office machines and automatic data processing equipment. </B></div> <div> <B>Imports: </B></div> <div> <B>manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs. </B></div> <div> <B>Main industries: </B></div> <div> <B>clothing and textiles, electrical and electronic products, metal products, machinery and equipment, plastic products. Tourism, shipping and banking and financial services are important economic activities. </B></div> <div> <B>Tourism: </B></div> <div> <B>Approximately 10.6 million visitors per year. </B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>