March 2025: Hong Kong Experiences Drier, Milder Weather with Record Sunshine and Below Average Rainfall.

A relatively dry and mild March

The weather of March 2025 was drier and milder than usual in Hong Kong. The monthly mean relative humidity of 74 per cent was 8 per cent below the normal of 82 per cent and one of the fourth lowest on record for March. The monthly total sunshine duration amounted to 143.8 hours, about 44 per cent above the normal of 100.0 hours.With more sunshine, the monthly mean maximum temperature of 23.5 degrees was 1.6 degrees above the normal and one of the 10th highest on record for March. The monthly mean temperature of 20.1 degrees and monthly mean minimum temperature of 17.7 degrees were 0.6 degrees and 0.1 degrees above their corresponding normals. Rainfall in the month was 38.1 millimetres, about 51 per cent of the normal of 75.3 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall in the first three months of the year was 68.4 millimetres, about 54 per cent below the normal of 147.4 millimetres for the same period.

Affected by a humid maritime airstream, the weather was mainly cloudy and humid with rising temperatures on the first four days of the month. It was foggy from March 2 to 4. The visibility in many places once fell below 1 000 metres on March 2. A cold front moved across the coast of Guangdong on the night of March 4. Under the influence of the associated northeast monsoon and a broad band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong, temperatures fell progressively with a few rain patches on the following three days. More than 10 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over many parts of the territory on March 6. The temperatures at the Observatory fell to a minimum of 12.1 degrees the next morning, the lowest of the month.

The northeast monsoon over the coast of Guangdong was gradually replaced by a relatively dry easterly airstream on March 8. While it was mainly cloudy with one or two light rain patches that morning, there were sunny periods that afternoon and in the following two days. With a band of clouds covering the coast of Guangdong, the weather became mainly cloudy from March 11 to 12, with one or two rain patches on March 12. Winds were weak over the coast of Guangdong on March 13. Locally, it was hot with sunny periods. With a humid easterly airstream affecting the coast of Guangdong the next day, the weather turned mainly cloudy with one or two light rain patches. Visibility was rather low in some areas and once fell to around 1 000 metres in the harbour.

With a trough of low pressure over inland Guangdong developing into a cold front and moving across the coastal areas on March 15, heavy showers and severe squally thunderstorms ahead of the cold front brought around 20 millimetres of rainfall and violent gusts to many places in Hong Kong that afternoon. Hail was even reported at Tai Po. Under the influence of the associated northeast monsoon, the weather became drier and cooler in the following six days. There were sunny periods on March 16. Affected by a band of clouds covering southern China, it became cloudier with one or two rain patches on the next two days. With the departure of the band of clouds and the influence of an anticyclone aloft, the weather turned fine and dry from March 19 to 25. Under the influence of a southerly airstream, the weather became relatively humid with rising temperatures from March 26 to 28. There were fog patches and the weather was hot on March 28. The temperatures at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 29.4 degrees that afternoon, the highest of the month. A cold front moved across the coast of southern China that evening and brought a few rain patches and significantly cooler weather to Hong Kong that night and the following two days. Under the persistent influence of the associated northeast monsoon, the last two days of the month remained cold in the morning.

There was no tropical cyclone over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in March 2025.

Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for March are tabulated in Table 2.

Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Tsuen Wan today

The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Tsuen Wan this afternoon (January 14), in which several oxy-acetylene cylinders fell from a container during a lifting operation and hit workers underneath, resulting in the death of one worker and injuries to two workers. The LD is saddened by the death and injury of the workers in the accident, and expresses its deepest sympathies to the victim’s family and the injured workers.

The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the lifting operation at the site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken."

The spokesman added, "We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."

To prevent loads being lifted from falling and hitting workers, the LD reminds employers to ensure that (i) the loads have been safely and securely connected to lifting gear before lifting operations; (ii) the gate of the container holding the loads is properly locked or fastened; and (iii) lifting zone is demarcated and barricaded, with no one entering the zone during lifting operations.

The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.

In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application "OSH 2.0", website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.

The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

Source: AI-found images