(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-14 11:37

HONG KONG -- Up to Wednesday, the minimum temperatures of Hong Kong recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory has been below 12 degrees Celsius for 21 consecutive days. This is the longest cold spell in Hong Kong since 1968.

During this period, the mean minimum temperature recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory was 9.9 degrees, the second lowest during the same period (January 24 - February 13) since records began in 1885.

This exceptionally long cold spell is a result of the cold air from Siberia moving south to reach central and southern China incessantly, while moist air is transported from the South China Sea and even as far as the Indian Ocean. The rendezvous of the cold and moist air has brought continuous cloudy, rainy and cold weather to the region.

Concurrently, sea surface temperatures over the central and eastern tropical Pacific have been persistently cooler than normal since last autumn.