Rain in Singapore: Wetter days ahead, says NEA

Channel NewsAsia 31 Jan 11;

SINGAPORE: The weather will continue to be wet for the rest of the week.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said short duration showers can be expected, mainly in the afternoon over several areas from Tuesday to Sunday.

Temperatures are likely to range from 23 to 31 degrees Celsius.

NEA said for the past few days, the region has been experiencing the effects of a Northeast Monsoon surge.

NEA acting senior meteorological officer Chiam Keng Oon said: "This is a surge of cold air from an intense high pressure over Northern China that results in a strengthening of winds over the region, bringing widespread moderate to heavy rain, occasionally windy conditions and cooler temperatures to Singapore.

"Such monsoon surges are common during the wet phase of the Northeast monsoon".

NEA said the current weather conditions are expected to ease around midnight.

The agency said areas that had the highest total rainfall over the past few days included Changi, where 216 mm of rainfall and Thomson, which received 86 mm of rainfall.

The total daily rainfall recorded at Changi on January 30 was the highest recorded in a day for January.

NEA said such heavy rainfall is common during a Northeast Monsoon surge.

The highest total daily rainfall during a Northeast Monsoon is 512.4 mm, recorded on Dec 2, 1978.

The average daily minimum temperature for January (up to Jan 30, 2011) was 23.6 deg Celsius.

NEA said this is common as the long-term average daily minimum temperature for January is 23.3 deg Celsius.

-CNA/wk