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Zero Hero · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 944

Maybe it is just as I live out in the NTs which often suffers from extreme weather conditions and so this skewers my assessment, but it has been raining pretty much for a week now here in HK and at times it has been quite atrocious, (certainly no less severe than this time last year, at least not from casual observations).

Nevertheless, there does not appear to have been any Black Rain warnings issued so far this year. Could it be that industry has pressured the government not to be so quick in issuing this level of weather warning due to the number of man-hours lost last year?

There have been a few mornings where I have felt glad that I am on holiday and so do not need to leave home at a certain time. I certainly could not imagine having to travel to work or school on more than a few occasions over the last week. Could this be as the exams have been on and so any such warning could trigger a logistical nightmare for the examination authorities (among others)?

islanddreamer · Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 28

I think they're still smarting from last summer, when they issued No. 8 for that pathetic little typhoon that swished over HK......

once again · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 815

A very interesting point zero. I can't remember when we had black rain warnings last year, so I am not so sure if this year is different. As a UNI man, could you access any information from the Geography department or wherever they handle weather stuff. There have been a couple of times recently where I have been surprised that there was not at least a red.

prplfairy · Joined: 06 Jun 2003 Posts: 102

And now we get the red? Why couldn't we get this BEFORE we all got to school?!

Zero Hero · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 944

Ironic, isn't it? I post that message and then, as if by magic, there is a Red warning issued the very next day, which, as noted by 'pplfairy', seems to have been put out at a somewhat odd time. Judging from the sudden influx of uniformed kids at the shopping mall I was at, they were dismissed at around 10.30. Surely that warning could have been put out before setting out for school?

Immediately after that warning was issued, as it happens, it turned into what was probably the best day in terms of weather for the last week or so. They never quite get it right, do they?

Netminder · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 54

Sorry, but for the case of us less in-the-know, could you explain the concept of "black rain" and "red rain"? I've tried to look it up on the internet, but all I get back is the term's relevance to Ridley Scott and Peter Gabriel.

Zero Hero · Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 944

Here's an introduction:

http://www.hko.gov.hk/wservice/warning/rainstor.htm

kowlooner · Joined: 24 Jun 2004 Posts: 230 Location: HK, BCC (former)

Great song, red rain! Always really liked Peter Gabriel.

arju · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Posts: 58 Location: h.k

i agree it appears that the black rain warnings are very few ..i was told that the emb advises the observatory that during exam weeks the issueing of red and black warnings are not recomended as it has a big problem for rescheduling the exams
i agree its tooooo wet this year....

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

It's not about whether you (ewe?) can weather the weather but whether the wether can weather the weather...