Typhoon Mary

Typhoon Mary
3 - 12 June 1960

(extracted from the Observatory's publication
"Director's Annual Department Reports, 1960 - 61")

'Mary' formed as a tropical depression south of Hong Kong on June 3rd and intensified to a severe tropical storm on the 5th. It moved northwards on the 6th, weakened on the 7th, but re-intensified on the 8th. It passed northward over the western New Territories on the early morning on the 9th, causing considerable loss of life and damage to property. From the 4th to the 7th winds were intermittently strong at the Royal Observatory and continuously strong offshore, gales becoming general by 6 p.m. on the 8th. No winds of typhoon strength were sustained at the Royal Observatory for as long as one minute, but a maximum gust of 103 knots was recorded. At Waglan Island where the anemometer is 230 feet above mean sea level and very exposed, winds averaged 64 knots (typhoon strength) for very short periods with gusts to 105 knots. The storm centre passed close to Cheung Chau between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the 9th. Mean winds there did not exceed 47 knots, but they changed to southwesterly, a direction from which the anchorages and villages are badly exposed. The use of No. 10 signal was not strictly justified according to international procedures, since sustained surface winds of 64 knots were not observed. 16.83 inches of rain were recorded at the Observatory while local signals were hoisted.