With a stronger than normal winter monsoon affecting southern China in the month, February was much colder than usual, the Hong Kong Observatory said today.

The monthly mean temperature was 15.2 degrees Celsius, 1.9 degrees below the normal figure.

The month was also much wetter than usual with a total rainfall of 168.5mm, more than four times the normal figure and the sixth highest on record for February.

The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first two months of the year was 172.6mm, more than two times the normal figure for the same period.

The prolonged cold and rainy weather also brought the temperature down to 7.5 degrees Celsius on the morning of February 21, the lowest of the month.

With the moderation of the winter monsoon, the local weather remained generally fine with temperatures rising progressively towards the end of the month. The temperature rose to a maximum of 22.5 degrees Celsius on the afternoon of February 28, the highest of the month.