Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia 1 Mar 10;
SINGAPORE: February was the driest month in 140 years, since 1869, when records of rainfall first started for Singapore.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) said 6.3 millimetres of rain fell in the month.
1968 and 2005 had the next driest Februaries when 8.4 mm of rain fell.
February also saw the hottest day so far this year.
The mercury hit 35 degrees Celsius on the 26th of the month.
NEA said February is traditionally one of the driest months, made worse this year by the El Nino effect.
NEA said rainfall for the first half of March is expected to be below average for most parts of the island.
Climate researcher from the National University of Singapore Matthias Roth said the El Nino effect is expected to last till May.
Coupled with the El Nino effect, which may last for a few more months, an extended heatwave is expected.
"Getting into March and April, those are generally drier months, or drier tail-end of the Northeast Monsoon," explained associate professor Matthias Roth, climate researcher from the National University of Singapore. "So this together with the El Nino effect, would result in relatively dry and warm conditions for the coming couple of months."- CNA/yb
Last month the driest Feb in 140 years
Joanne Chan Today Online 2 Mar 10;
SINGAPORE - A new record has been set: February was the driest month ever for Singapore in 140 years.
According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), just 6.3mm of rain fell, the least in a single month since records began to be kept in 1869.
February also saw the hottest day so far, with the mercury hitting 35°C last Friday.
Those hoping for cool reprieve may have to wait. Notwithstanding passing showers in some areas yesterday, the first half of this month is expected to be mainly dry, with rainfall below average for most parts of the island, said the NEA.
Temperatures from today until Thursday are expected to reach 34°C.
The NEA said February is traditionally one of the driest months. Historically, the driest Februaries prior to this were in 1968 and 2005, when 8.4 mm of rain fell.
But the months ahead promise an extended heatwave.
March and April generally mark the drier tail-end of the of the north-east monsoon season, noted climate researcher Matthias Roth of the National University of Singapore.
And with the El Nino effect expected to last till May, Associate Professor Roth said the net effect would be "relatively dry, warm conditions for the coming couple of months".
For now, Singaporeans say they are beating the heat by downing cold drinks, swimming more, dressing lighter and turning on the air-conditioner.
Sorry kid, it's going to stay hot and dry for a while
Straits Times 2 Mar 10;
WITH the hot, dry spell spilling over into March, Kelvin Yap, four, finds a spot to cool off at the Marina Barrage.
February turned out to be the driest month ever and one of the hottest on record, with no sign of a respite any time soon.
The National Environment Agency's Meteorological Services Division said Singapore received just 6.3mm of rain - the lowest for February since 1869, when rainfall records began here.
February is usually a dry month, but conditions were made worse this year by the El Nino weather phenomenon. The highest maximum temperature of 35.2 deg C was recorded on Feb 26, just below the level on the hottest day ever, March 26, 1998, when the mercury hit 36 deg C.
The weatherman is predicting more hot days in the next fortnight, with occasional winds and afternoon showers on three or four days. Rainfall will likely remain 'below average' islandwide.
JERMYN CHOW
