DocMartin

Along south coast, waves larger, and gusts ripping spray from the sea.

Went out this morning, to have a look on Cheung Chau as Prapiroon passes by. First thing – a tree down near my place [img]https://www.hkoutdoors.com/components/com_joomlaboard/uploaded/images/prapiroontreedown.JPG[/img]

Up early, finding powerful winds blowing over Cheung Chau (my place sheltered just now, happily); gusts ripping across surface of sea below. Checking realtime weather info for Cheung Chau on HK Observatory site, wind speed at CC has been continually increasing, but jump in last hour or so to around 85-95km/h, which is gale force 9, almost 10 Iyes folks, if signals applied to Cheung Chau, and not Victoria Harbour, the Number 8 would be up now, and HK would about grind to a halt; as it is, I guess ferries from CC could be halted). 

– quick look at other weather stations that maybe exposed, and seems CC has strongest winds just now, beating even Waglan [which recording small jump in wind speed as I write this, to 80-85km; cc winds up a little too]. Via Obs main page, Prapiroon was lately around 310km ssw of Hong Kong, and still on track towards Hainan/w Guangdong (other forecasts agreeing with this track, so no surprise shifts in last few hours [tho to my eyes, satellite animation seems to show eye collapsing, then system reforming with jump towards north; 10-minute average winds recorded Cheung Chau now to over 100km/h; note that 118km/h sustained wind is hurricane force, so winds here indeed strong]).  [it’s now 6.44am]

Post edited by: Martin, at: 2006/08/02 22:44

rainwater drops from cafe shelter, and umbrellas:

Prapiroon now a typhoon; and (from around 4.20pm) Number 3 signal hoisted. Still seems headed towards Hainan/western Guangdong, but seems to have intensified faster, moved nearer Hong Kong today, than some forecasts – inc HK Observatory – predicted. Looks to be rather indistinct eye in latest satellite images.

Cheung Chau’s main waterfront – on west of the island – sheltered from the easterlies, but rainy this aft; albeit rain not bothering everyone. [img]https://www.hkoutdoors.com/components/com_joomlaboard/uploaded/images/prapiroonbrollies.JPG[/img]

HK Obs radar showed a small flurry of rather wicked looking rainstorms pass westwards over area just north of HK yesterday evening. Now – earlier than HK Obs had forecast yesterday – rain from Prapiroon starting to affect Hong Kong. Winds picking up, albeit Number 3 signal still some time away (hours?) Still variations in forecast tracks, but landfall over or a little east of Hainan looking most likely – as in current compilation of forecasts from MIT

Looking through Central Ridge and West, a few errors are apparent (sadly, I didn’t have chance to check text during production).

Notably:

p157: a “Grey Treepie” photo actually shows an Azure-winged Magpie.
There’s an introduced note saying “The uplands are good places to observe migratory species, such as Grey-faced Buzzard, Brown Shrike, Blue Rock Thrush and Asian Brown Flycatcher.” This is not true; the uplands are, overall, v poor for observing migrants. Blue Rock Thrush indeed occurs – it’s a bird of open country with boulders, though can also be seen along coasts here. However, Grey-faced Buzzard, Brown Shrike and Asian Brown Flycatcher are all best seen at lower elevations – including on islands such as Po Toi.

Aha, mea culpa! added August 2022: last autumn, Crested Honey Buzzards were seen passing Pat Sin Leng Range; and in spring this year, birds included needletails [swifts]. Plus, spring this year, Grey-faced Buzzards seen in good numbers high over Lantau – Ngong Ping area, so may well pass Pat Sin Leng uplands too.

Some high woods do attract migratory forest birds – as along Kap Lung Forest Trail, and at Ng Tung Chai; seem better for seeing some local rarities such as Siberian Thrush than lower elevation places.

I’ve started forum re global warming on my DocMartin site, at:
Global warming – fair amount of info there, inc re China.

As I edit this to update URL to forum, news includes (on Reuters):
China blames climate change for extreme weather