Tai Mo Shan

Tai Mo Shan has a steep northwestern slope and less steep southern slope. Since it is the tallest mountain in Hong Kong, it forms a barrier that blocks the monsoon from the south, the rain shadow leading to the dryness of some of the northern and northwestern parts of the New Territories.{{Cite book |last=Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department |title=Central Ridge and West |publisher=Cosmos Books Limited |isbn=9882113273 |location=Hong Kong |publication-date=2006-10-17 |pages=61 |language=en, zh}}

The whole Tai Mo Shan mountain range, known as Kwun Fu Mountain (官富山, named after the salt field {{ill|Kwun Fu Cheung|yue|%E5%AE%98%E5%AF%8C%E5%A0%B4}} (官富場) in present-day Kowloon Bay) in Ming and Qing dynasties, covers over {{convert|350|sqkm|sqmi}}, and stretches from Tai Lam Chung Reservoir in the West near Tuen Mun and Ma On Shan in the east and the mountains of Kowloon and Clear Water Bay in the south. Two other significant coastal peaks, the Lantau Peak (934m) on Lantau Island and Mount Wutong (943.7m) across the border in Shenzhen are approximately {{convert|27|km}} to the southwest and {{convert|21+1/2|km}} to the northeast respectively.

There are a few subpeaks that are given names in the Tai Mo Shan area, including:

• Sze Fong Shan ({{convert|785|m|ft|0|abbr=}})
• Wo Yang Shan ({{convert|767|m|ft|0|abbr=}})
• Miu Ko Toi ({{convert|765|m|ft|0|abbr=}})
• {{ill|Wo Tong Kong|yue|%E7%A6%BE%E5%A1%98%E5%B4%97}} lower ({{convert|656|m|ft|0|abbr=}}) - there is an upper summit historically logged on this page at 702 metres (2,303 ft). It is approximately 1 km North East of the lower summit along the same ridge. However it is just a point on the ridge with virtually no prominence from the parent peak, Tai Mo Shan. The lower peak has enough prominence to be considered an independent summit, but this has not been verified by a surveyor.
• Lin Fa Shan, Tsuen Wan ({{convert|579|m|ft|0|abbr=}})
• Shek Lung Kung, Tsuen Wan ({{convert|474|m|ft|0|abbr=}})
• Tin Fu Tsai Shan ({{convert|461|m|ft|0|abbr=}})
• Ha Fa Shan, Tsuen Wan ({{convert|315|m|ft|0|abbr=}})

{{Main articles|Kwun Yam Shan (Yuen Long District)}}

Tai Mo Shan is an inactive volcano dating from the Jurassic period. A small hill known as "Kwun Yam Shan" near the mountain still vents warm air through cracks in the rocks that lead all the way to the mantle. The holes that exhale warm air are known as "hot pots". When the surface temperature is cold, and the warmth of the expelled air is clearly discernible, this phenomenon is referred to by locals as "dragon's breath". If the air temperature at the summit is 6 degrees Celsius, then the air emerging from the interior of Kwun Yum Shan is somewhere between 13 and 21 degrees Celsius. These "hot pots" are remnants of the active volcano's superheated steam vents.{{cite web |url=https://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/about-us/organisation/geo/pub_info/memoirs/geology/vol/jtm/index.html#http://www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/about/organisation/pvtert.htm|title=8 Mesozoic Post-Volcanic and Tertiary Sedimentary Rocks|access-date=20 December 2008|publisher=CEDD}}{{Cite web|url=https://mingpaomonthly.com/article/details/%E6%96%87%E5%AD%B8%EF%BC%8E%E8%97%9D%E8%A1%93/2008-09/1590996608423/%E8%A7%80%E9%9F%B3%E5%B1%B1%E8%AC%9B%E5%8F%A4%E3%80%80%EF%BC%88%E6%9C%B1%E7%B6%AD%E5%BE%B7%EF%BC%89|title=觀音山講古 （朱維德） - 明報月刊|website=mingpaomonthly.com}}

The area's volcanic rocks are mainly coarse ash crystal tuff. While Granodiorite, which is a kind of granite formed about 150 million years ago, intruded into the volcanic rocks.{{cite book|author=R.J. Sewell, S.D.G. Campbell, C.J.N. Fletcher, K.W. Lai & P.A. Kirk|title=The Pre-Quaternary Geology of Hong Kong|year=2000|publisher=Government of Hong Kong SAR|isbn=962-02-0299-6}}File:HK_geological_map_revised_version_3.png

Under the Köppen climate classification, Tai Mo Shan features a humid subtropical climate (Cwa), bordering a subtropical highland climate (Cwb). Due to the height of the mountain, Tai Mo Shan is claimed to be Hong Kong's most misty area, as it is often covered in clouds. In summer it is frequently covered with cumulus clouds, especially on rainy days, and in winter stratus clouds and fog often cover the peak. It is not uncommon for temperatures to drop below freezing point during the winter. A record low of {{Convert|-6.0|C}} was seen in the January 2016 East Asia cold wave. Since the Tai Mo Shan weather station was established in 1997, it has never measured a temperature exceeding {{Convert|30.0|C}}, and the most maximum temperature was measured as {{Convert|29.5|C}}.

{{Weather box

|location = Tai Mo Shan, elevation {{convert|955|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1997–2022)

|metric first = Y

|single line = Y

|width = auto

|Jan record high C = 22.2

|Feb record high C = 23.2

|Mar record high C = 24.3

|Apr record high C = 27.4

|May record high C = 28.8

|Jun record high C = 29.5

|Jul record high C = 29.4

|Aug record high C = 29.4

|Sep record high C = 28.9

|Oct record high C = 27.3

|Nov record high C = 25.2

|Dec record high C = 23.7

|year record high C =

|Jan high C = 14.1

|Feb high C = 15.1

|Mar high C = 17.2

|Apr high C = 19.9

|May high C = 22.3

|Jun high C = 23.5

|Jul high C = 24.5

|Aug high C = 24.6

|Sep high C = 23.8

|Oct high C = 21.2

|Nov high C = 18.5

|Dec high C = 14.8

|year high C =

|Jan mean C = 10.6

|Feb mean C = 11.8

|Mar mean C = 14.3

|Apr mean C = 17.3

|May mean C = 20.1

|Jun mean C = 21.7

|Jul mean C = 22.3

|Aug mean C = 22.2

|Sep mean C = 21.2

|Oct mean C = 18.3

|Nov mean C = 15.5

|Dec mean C = 11.5

|year mean C =

|Jan low C = 8.0

|Feb low C = 9.3

|Mar low C = 11.9

|Apr low C = 15.3

|May low C = 18.4

|Jun low C = 20.1

|Jul low C = 20.6

|Aug low C = 20.4

|Sep low C = 19.4

|Oct low C = 16.4

|Nov low C = 13.3

|Dec low C = 8.9

|year low C =

|Jan record low C = -6.0

|Feb record low C = -1.8

|Mar record low C = -2.0

|Apr record low C = 5.6

|May record low C = 9.3

|Jun record low C = 14.0

|Jul record low C = 16.8

|Aug record low C = 16.8

|Sep record low C = 13.3

|Oct record low C = 5.7

|Nov record low C = -0.3

|Dec record low C = -3.3

|year record low C =

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 42.5

|Feb precipitation mm = 51.8

|Mar precipitation mm = 101.1

|Apr precipitation mm = 143.3

|May precipitation mm = 337.3

|Jun precipitation mm = 568.8

|Jul precipitation mm = 416.9

|Aug precipitation mm = 452.5

|Sep precipitation mm = 286.5

|Oct precipitation mm = 94.6

|Nov precipitation mm = 40.5

|Dec precipitation mm = 27.2

|year precipitation mm = 2562.9

|Jan humidity = 82.2

|Feb humidity = 88.0

|Mar humidity = 89.9

|Apr humidity = 91.7

|May humidity = 94.3

|Jun humidity = 96.2

|Jul humidity = 95.3

|Aug humidity = 93.6

|Sep humidity = 90.4

|Oct humidity = 86.7

|Nov humidity = 85.4

|Dec humidity = 79.4

|year humidity =

|Jan dew point C = 7.5

|Feb dew point C = 9.6

|Mar dew point C = 12.6

|Apr dew point C = 15.8

|May dew point C = 18.9

|Jun dew point C = 21.0

|Jul dew point C = 21.3

|Aug dew point C = 21.1

|Sep dew point C = 19.4

|Oct dew point C = 16.1

|Nov dew point C = 12.4

|Dec dew point C = 7.2

|source 1 = Hong Kong Observatory{{cite web

|url = https://www.hko.gov.hk/en/cis/awsMonthlyElement.htm?stn=TMS&ele=TEMP

|title = Automatic Weather Observations Monthly Data for Single Element

|publisher = Hong Kong Observatory

|access-date = January 22, 2023}}

}}

In the past, Tai Mo Shan was famous for a type of green tea, called mist or cloud tea, which grew wild on the mountain side. Occasionally, local people can still be seen picking the tea shoots for brewing green tea.

More than 1,500 species of plants have been recorded in Tai Mo Shan including 27 species of native wild orchids, the protected Chinese Lily (Lilium brownii) which mostly grows on the east side of the Mountain, 24 species of native ferns, including tree ferns, of which a total of only 4 tree ferns species have been recorded around the entire mountain, 19 species of native grasses, and 7 species of native bamboos. Camellia sinensis var. waldenae (formerly Camellia waldenae) are also found on the mountain.

A few types of wild orchids also grow in the streams of Tai Mo Shan including the Chinese pholidota orchid, Hong Kong's most common orchid, and the bamboo orchid, so called because of a distinct stem that looks like bamboo, which also grows in the streams of Tai Mo Shan.

During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong in World War II, most of the trees in the park were cut down and extensive reforestation was carried out after the war. Trees that were planted are mostly non-native such as Pinus massoniana, Acacia confusa, Lophostemon confertus, and paper bark tree. The area has now become one of Hong Kong's major forest plantations.

The south-east slopes of Tai Mo Shan are covered with patches of well developed montane forest. The area, covering 130 hectares, was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1975.{{cite web |url=https://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/access/pec/SSSI.html |title=Register of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) |last= |first= |date= |website= |publisher=Planning Department |access-date= |quote=}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/access/pec/SSSI/plans/03.pdf |title=Site of Special Scientific Interest - Tai Mo Shan Montane Scrub Forest |last= |first= |date=30 September 1992 |website= |publisher=Planning Department |access-date= |quote=}}

Local wildlife consists of birds, snakes and butterflies. There are also freshwater crabs, feral dogs, feral cats, oxen, Porcupines and wild boar.

In 1986, a 34-hour blaze destroyed 282,500 trees at Shing Mun and Tai Mo Shan and ravaged 7.40 km² of countryside.

Tai Mo Shan Country Park was formally designated on 23 February 1979.

The summit of Tai Mo Shan is not accessible to visitors, as it is occupied by a Hong Kong Observatory (ex-RAF) weather radar station. It was reported in July 2014 that the station additionally houses facilities of the People's Liberation Army.{{cite news |last1= Cheung |first1=Chi-fai|last2= Wong |first2= Olga |date= 23 July 2014|title= Hong Kong 'hands PLA radar station on territory's highest mountain in secret deal'|url= http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1557307/doubts-cast-covert-land-grant-peoples-liberation-army-tai-mo-shan?page=all|newspaper= South China Morning Post|location= Hong Kong}}

• List of mountains, peaks and hills in Hong Kong
• Country parks and conservation in Hong Kong
• Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Tai Mo Shan}}

• [http://www.afcd.gov.hk/english/country/cou_vis/cou_vis_cou/cou_vis_cou_tms/cou_vis_cou_tms.html Tai Mo Shan Country Park]

{{Hills and Mountains in Hong Kong}}

{{Conservation designations in Hong Kong}}

{{Highest points of Asia}}

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Category:Mountains, peaks and hills of Hong Kong

Category:Country parks and special areas of Hong Kong

Category:Volcanism of Hong Kong

Category:Jurassic volcanism

Category:Extinct volcanoes of Asia