Newsletter Issue 41 (March 2024)

The Weather of February 2024 – A mild and dry February

With the northeast monsoon over southern China generally weaker than normal for most of the time in the month, February 2024 was much warmer than usual in Hong Kong. The month was also drier than usual with a total rainfall of only 4.1 millimetres, about 11 percent of the normal figure of 38.9 millimetres.

Climate change indicators reached record levels in 2023: WMO

The state of the climate in 2023 gave ominous new significance to the phrase “off the charts.” A new report from the WMO shows that records were once again broken, and in some cases smashed, for greenhouse gas levels, surface temperatures, ocean heat and acidification, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice cover and glacier retreat. “Sirens are blaring across all major indicators… Some records aren’t just chart-topping, they’re chart-busting. And changes are speeding-up.” said UN SG António Guterres.

Scientists discover an alarming change in Antarctica’s past that could spell devastating future sea level rise

UN SG António Guterres – Our climate is collapsing. The signs have never been clearer… Abnormal is the new normal. And the human impact is clear: lives taken, livelihoods lost, economies upended.
WMO SG Celeste Saulo – Climate Action means different things to different people. But all agree that it is indispensable. And it is urgent. And it is a call for everybody. We must all pull in the same direction.

Climate experts sound alarm over thriving plant life at Greenland ice sheet

February 2024 was the warmest February in the ERA5 data record, going back to 1940. Every month since last June was the warmest compared to the same month in the series, according to the latest Climate Bulletin of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). The average global surface air temperature for February was 13.54°C, 0.12°C warmer than February 2016, the previous warmest. Sea surface temperatures over the extra-polar regions reached a new record absolute value at 21.09°C.

HKO and WMO update MOU to further strengthen meteorological co-operation

The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) and the WMO updated a MOU to further strengthen meteorological co-operation on 28 March. The Director of the HKO Dr Chan Pak-wai said, “HKO will continue to support the WMO’s initiatives and foster regional and international co-operation in the implementation of the Early Warnings for All initiative through operating the SWIC and WWIS websites, the RSMC for Nowcasting, and the Meteorological Training Centre for Belt and Road Countries.”

2023年度“中國十大氣象科技進展”公佈

3月28日，2023年度“中國十大氣象科技進展”公佈。評選由全國氣象科教融合創新聯盟牽頭組織，旨在及時反映我國氣象科技領域前沿和最新進展，宣傳氣象科技成果，引領和鼓勵氣象科技創新，營造創新氛圍，凝聚加快推進氣象科技能力現代化和社會服務現代化力量。“十大氣象科技進展”為首次舉辦，涵蓋數值預報、氣象大模型、氣象衛星、探空技術、氣候變化、新能源開發利用等氣象業務核心和交叉學科多個重要領域。

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