Dry and windy conditions in first weekend of new year: Met Service
Moderate to heavy thundery showers are expected over parts of the island in the afternoon on most days for the remainder of the fortnight.
People seen at East Coast Park on Jul 13, 2022. (File Photo: CNA/Calvin Oh)
SINGAPORE: Dry and windy conditions are expected in the first weekend of the new year, the Meteorological Service Singapore (Met Service) said on Friday (Dec 30).
This will be followed by moderate to heavy thundery showers over parts of the island in the afternoon on most days for the remainder of the fortnight, it added.
The showers may extend into the evening on a few days.
DRY AND WINDY CONDITIONS
North-east monsoon conditions currently prevailing over Singapore and the surrounding region are forecast to persist into January 2023, with low-level winds blowing from the northwest or northeast, the Met Service said in its fortnightly weather forecast.
In the first weekend of the new year, the strengthening of the high-pressure system over the northern Asian continent is expected to bring a surge of strong north-easterly winds over the South China Sea, it said.
“With the rain band located away from Singapore during this time, the surge will likely bring dry and windy conditions over Singapore and the surrounding vicinity.
"Thereafter, moderate to heavy thundery showers are expected over parts of the island in the afternoon on most days."
Overall, the total rainfall for the first half of January 2023 is forecast to be near average over most parts of Singapore.
For the next two weeks, the daily temperature is forecast to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius on most days.
On one or two days, the daily maximum temperature may reach a high of around 34 degrees Celsius. Daily lows of around 23 degrees Celsius can be expected on a few rainy days.
DECEMBER WEATHER
Singapore experienced short-duration moderate to heavy afternoon thundery showers on most days in December, with the showers extended into the evening on a few occasions, the Met Service said.
On Dec 11, a Sumatra squall brought widespread moderate to heavy thundery showers in the morning and early afternoon.
The daily total rainfall of 127.4mm recorded around the West Coast Road area that day was the highest daily total rainfall for December, said the Met Service.
Due to the rainy and cloudy weather conditions, the daily maximum temperature was below 32 degrees Celsius on most days. There were five days when the daily maximum temperature was higher than 33 degrees Celsius.
Cooler temperatures were also experienced in the last month of 2022, with daily minimum temperatures of 24 degrees Celsius or less registered on all except two days in December. The lowest daily minimum temperature of 22.2 degrees Celsius was recorded at Jurong West on Dec 3.
Rainfall was below average for most parts of Singapore in December.
The highest rainfall anomaly of 15 per cent above average was recorded at Sengkang East, while the lowest anomaly of 49 per cent below average was at Jurong West.
