July was warmer than usual with a mean temperature of 29.1 degrees Celsius, 0.4 degrees above normal. Total rainfall was 389.4mm, 4% more than usual, however, accumulated rainfall since January 1 was 1,206.9mm, about 16% below normal.

The Hong Kong Observatory said three tropical cyclones occurred in the western North Pacific and the South China Sea last month. On July 11 tropical storm Soudelor moved across the northern part of the South China Sea and passed 240km south of Hong Kong. After Soudelor made landfall over Vietnam and weakened into a tropical depression on July 12, local winds subsided and it became sunny and hot.

Molave intensified into a tropical storm July 16 and tracked northwestwards over the western North Pacific to the east of the Philippines. It further intensified into a severe tropical storm while crossing Luzon Strait on July 17 and became a typhoon the next day after entering the South China Sea.

The air mass ahead of Molave and the northerly winds associated with it brought very hot weather to Hong Kong July 18 with the temperature hitting 34.3 degrees, the month's highest.

With Molave moving closer to the coast of Guangdong local winds strengthened gradually with squally showers on July 18. It made landfall near the Mirs Peninsula in the early hours of July 19 causing gale-force winds with maximum gusts of up to 148kph and heavy rain with squalls in Hong Kong. Winds subsided as Molave weakened into a tropical depression and moved further inland over western Guangdong.