Expect hotter, drier months ahead: Met Services

Channel NewsAsia 8 Aug 14;

SINGAPORE: Singapore has been spared from transboundary haze in recent months, with winds in its favour, and relatively wet weather conditions because sea surface temperatures have been warmer than normal, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) says.

But it says to expect hotter and drier weather ahead as the Southwest Monsoon continues to prevail till October. It is also warning of the possibility of transboundary haze from land and forest fires in the region.

"Singapore could be affected if the prevailing winds blow the smoke haze from Sumatra or Kalimantan toward us," the MSS said in a news release on Friday (Aug 8).

There were occasional periods of dry weather in June and July that led to an escalation of hotspot activities in Sumatra, it noted, and this saw western parts of Malaysia affected from smoke haze from Indonesia's Riau province. There was also a sharp increase in hotspot activities in western Kalimantan due to drier weather in the second half of last month. However, Singapore was not affected as southerly winds helped keep the haze away.

The MSS also says development of El Nino conditions have slowed as tropical Pacific Ocean surface temperatures, though continuing to warm, have gradually eased in recent weeks. The risk of drier weather conditions due to El Nino in Singapore is therefore expected to be lower towards the end of the year.

Meantime, expect a wet National Day weekend, with short thundery showers in the late morning and early afternoon.

- CNA/xk