With a stronger than usual subtropical ridge dominating over southern China for most of the time in July, the month was exceptionally hot, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) said today.

The monthly mean minimum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, monthly mean temperature of 29.9 degrees and monthly mean maximum temperature of 32.4 degrees were respectively 1.1, 1 and 0.8 degrees above their normal figures.

The three monthly figures were respectively one of the third, the fourth and one of the ninth highest on record for July.
 
The daily mean temperature of 30.8 degrees and daily minimum temperature of 29.2 degrees on July 6 were both the highest on record for Moderate Heat. The daily maximum temperature of 34 degrees on the same day was also one of the highest on record for Moderate Heat.

With plenty of sunshine, the temperature at the HKO rose to a maximum of 34.8 degrees on the afternoon of July 7, the highest of the month. It was extremely hot on the afternoon that day and the 10th day of the month, with maximum temperatures reaching 35 degrees or above in many places.

The monthly rainfall was 458.5 mm, about 19% above the norm of 385.8 mm.

The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first seven months of the year was 1,321.9 mm, about 10% below the norm of 1,468.2 mm for the same period.

Three tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in July, the Observatory added.