Hong Kong was drier and hotter than usual in May despite some rainy interludes, the Hong Kong Observatory said on Tuesday.

With a stronger-than-usual subtropical ridge affecting the southern Chinese mainland, the total rainfall in the special administrative region last month was 81.6 millimeters, or only about 28 percent of the normal level of 290.6 millimeters.

The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first five months of the year was 207.1 millimeters, about 35 percent of the normal of 590.9 millimeters and the eighth lowest on record for the same period, the HKO said.  

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It said the city’s monthly mean minimum temperature of 25.5 degrees Celsius last month was 1 degree higher than normal and was one of the eighth highest on record for May.

The monthly mean maximum temperature of 30.0°C and monthly mean temperature of 27.2°C degrees were respectively one of the ninth and the 10th highest on record for the month, it added.

The observatory also said that spring this year from March to May was also warmer than usual.

The mean maximum temperature of 26.7°C and mean temperature of 23.7°C were respectively one of the fifth and one of the eighth highest on record for the same period.

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The weather in Hong Kong was mainly cloudy with a few showers on the first day of the month and turned fine the next day. 

While there were sunny intervals on May 5, a trough of low pressure over inland Guangdong moved southwards gradually and brought a few showers and isolated thunderstorms to Hong Kong that night and the next day.

More than 10 millimeters of rainfall were recorded over the northern part of the New Territories on the afternoon of May 6.

The trough of low pressure continued to bring thundery showers to the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary on May 7. Locally, it was cloudy with occasional showers and a few thunderstorms. Showers were heavy at times.

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A cold front formed over the northern part of southern mainland on May 10 and moved across the coast of Guangdong the next morning. Locally, it was mainly cloudy on May 10 with a few showers overnight and the next morning. The temperature at the observatory dropped to a minimum of 21.0°C on May 11, the lowest for the month.