More downpours expected over next fortnight, warns weatherman
Grace Chua Straits Times 3 Apr 12;
VIOLENT pre-dawn thunderstorms known as Sumatra squalls rattled Singapore in the early hours of yesterday and Saturday.
They led to reports of flash floods, fallen trees and disrupted traffic, from Tampines to the town area.
Sumatra squalls are eastward-moving lines of thunderstorms that whip up strong gusty winds and heavy rain, said the Meteorological Service (Singapore). They can develop at any time of the year and happen regularly between April and October.
Singapore can expect a couple more over the next fortnight, as well as afternoon showers with thunder.
Toh Tuck Road had the heaviest rainfall yesterday, with 95.2mm falling by 10am. On Saturday, Tuas had the highest total rainfall by 6am, with 97.4mm.
Three flash floods were reported yesterday. At the Marina South underpass, a drain grating was blocked by debris. Tampines Street 81 was the scene of a localised flood due to intense rain, while water at Bishan Street 21 collected in a depression in the road.
All three areas remained passable to traffic, said water agency PUB.
Traffic on two major roads was disrupted by fallen trees early yesterday, said the Land Transport Authority.
One hold-up happened on the Central Expressway near the Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 entrance between 7.22am and 7.40am, while the other was on Braddell Road from 7.27am to 7.57am.
A goods vehicle also lost control on a slippery stretch at Lornie Road.
It toppled and blocked two lanes towards Thomson Road at about 4.20am, but no one was injured.
On Saturday, a fallen tree caused disruption at Jalan Anak Bukit towards the city from 12.41pm to 2.39pm, a spokesman for the authority added.
Seven other roadside trees were uprooted during intense rain over the weekend, said the National Parks Board.
They were at Bedok, Bras Basah, MacPherson and West Coast. All were cleared within an hour of being reported.
March was a damp month. Its total rainfall ranged from more than 300mm around Kranji and Punggol, to 174-200mm around Bishan and Tuas - above the long-term monthly average of 185.7mm.
April is likely to be wet as well, with average to above-average rainfall expected.
The north-east winds of the monsoon season have been replaced by the light and variable winds of the inter-monsoon transitional period.
For the next fortnight, Singapore is expected to have mostly short, thundery showers in the afternoon on five to six days.
Widespread Sumatra squalls are likely on one to two days.
It could also be a warm month. During the inter-monsoon period, light winds, cloudless skies and more direct solar heating spell hot afternoons.
April also has the highest mean daily maximum temperature in the long term, at 31.7 deg C.
