Expect to feel the heat for the rest of April

Audrey Tan The Straits Times AsiaOne 17 Apr 15;

IF YOU think the weather is hot and humid now, then be prepared to sweat for the rest of the month.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has forecast that afternoon temperatures will hit 34 deg C on several days over the last two weeks of this month due to sunny skies and light wind conditions. Thundery showers are also expected.

Yesterday, some parts of Singapore recorded a temperature of 34 deg C, according to weather observations on the NEA website.

Some of the days ahead may also see a slight haze, especially in the early mornings, due to the accumulation of particulate matter in the light wind conditions.

Based on long-term data, April is the warmest month in the year.

The warm weather has prompted some people, like Ms Denise Chee, 27, to change their habits. The recruitment officer said she avoids the heat by buying lunch and taking it away to eat in the office instead.

Financial analyst Charisse Tay, 22, now runs in the gym instead of outdoors. She also drives more instead of taking public transport.

For Ms Grace Lin, a transport industry executive, the air-conditioner at home is now powered up at least twice a week. "I used to sleep with just the fan, but now I turn on the air-conditioner more often," said the 24-year-old.

Eateries, too, are taking measures to keep customers cool.

Skyve Wine Bistro, an eatery in Winstedt Road, has installed more wall fans to cool diners. Said restaurateur and owner Celine Tan: "The weather has been really hot recently and it does affect some of our guests."

The House of Seafood restaurant has also installed eight cooling fans from Taiwan at its seaside eatery in Punggol. The fans spray a fine mist that cools outdoor temperatures to a comfortable 19 to 20 deg C in the evenings, said chief executive Francis Ng.

Bringing some cheer amid the heat will be the short thundery showers in the afternoon on four or five days, and in the morning for one or two days, said the NEA in its fortnightly forecast.

It added that rainfall for the entire month of April is likely to be near normal, although about two thirds of Singapore received below-normal rainfall in the first two weeks of the month.

The latest weather forecast comes amid projections announced on Wednesday that the country could see hotter weather and more extreme weather fluctuations at the end of this century. If the world does nothing to limit the effects of climate change, temperatures here could soar to 36.7 deg C - beating the record high of 36 deg C set on March 26, 1998.