Increased rainfall in region leaves Singapore skies clear

Khoo Fang Xuan Channel NewsAsia 15 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE: Singapore is typically affected by Indonesia's slash-and-burn activities in September and October every year.

But the skies have remained relatively clear, and haze-free, so far.

Experts said the number of hotspots in Sumatra has gone down compared to the same period last year.

Dr Liew Soo Chin, Principal Research Scientist for National University of Singapore’s Research Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing, said this could be due to this year's El-Nino condition being different from previous years.

He explained: "This year, the El Nino condition tends to be neutral, and slightly towards the La Nina. That's the opposite of El Nino, so it tends to have more rainfall, the weather tends to be wetter. So that's why we don't see many hotspots in this time of the year."

Meteorological Service Singapore also said any change in wind direction brought about by the latest Typhoon Nari is not likely to result in transboundary haze.

This is because increasing showers in the region are expected to help put out fires in Sumatra.

The meteorological service added that Singapore is located in the equatorial region, where prevailing winds are generally weak, variable and difficult to predict at times.

The presence of typhoons in the region could influence the direction of prevailing winds, but the occurrence of transboundary haze depends not only on wind direction.

A combination of other factors such as the location of fires in Sumatra and rainfall in the surrounding region also play a part.

Experts said the transboundary haze that Singapore experienced in June was largely due to two tropical storms over the Philippines.

Dr Liew added: "In order for the haze to come to Singapore, the wind directions must blow in the general direction from west to east, and usually it doesn't happen. But this year in June, the wind pattern of the typhoon interfered with the local wind patterns and the effect is that it changed the wind directions, and that brings the haze to Singapore."

- CNA/gn