Hot, hot, hot!: The year 2007 was the fifth warmest on Hong Kong's record, with the "very hot weather warning" issued for 13 consecutive days from late July into early August.

The year 2007 was the fifth warmest on Hong Kong's record, with an annual mean temperature of 23.7 degrees - 0.7 degrees higher than normal, the Hong Kong Observatory says.

With a weaker northeast monsoon, February's mean temperature was 19.5 degrees - the highest for that month since records began in 1884. The year saw another new hot weather record as the "very hot weather warning" was issued for 13 consecutive days from late July into early August.

This year was also drier than usual. The annual rainfall was 1,706.9 millimetres - about 23% below normal. 

Drier year

In 2007, a total of 25 tropical cyclones formed over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea. Of these, only severe tropical storm Pabuk and tropical storm Francisco affected Hong Kong. Normally, Hong Kong is affected by at least six or seven. Pabuk triggered the issuance of the first No 8 Gale or Storm Signal since the passage of Tropical Storm Kompasu in 2004.