Significantly below normal rainfall expected for August 2016
Advisory
Singapore, 16 August 2016 –The prevailing Southwest Monsoon conditions will continue into the second half of August 2016 and the low level winds are forecast to blow mainly from the southeast or southwest.
2 For the rest of August 2016, short-duration thundery showers due to strong solar heating of land areas are likely on three or five days, mostly in the late morning and early afternoon. In addition, thundery showers with gusty winds due to Sumatra squalls are expected in the morning on one or two days. Rainfall for August 2016 is expected to be significantly below normal.
3 The current dry weather conditions experienced in recent days are expected to prevail in the second half of August 2016. In addition, a few warm days can be expected with the daily maximum temperatures forecast to range between 32°C and 33°C on most days and could reach around 34°C on a few days.
REVIEW (1 – 15 August 2016)
4 Southwest Monsoon conditions prevailed over the region in the first fortnight of August 2016, and the low level winds blew from the southeast or southwest.
5 Singapore experienced a few warm days during the review period. The highest daily maximum temperature was 35.40C recorded in the northern part of Singapore on 10 August 2016. At the Changi climate station, the total rainfall recorded for the first half of August 2016 was 41.2mm, approximately 72% below the long-term mean of 148.9mm for August. In addition, the mean monthly temperature recorded during this period was 28.9°C, approximately 1°C warmer than the long-term August mean temperature.
6 During the first two weeks of the month, Singapore experienced dry weather conditions on most days. Thundery showers affected a few areas on some days mainly in the late morning and early afternoon. The heaviest rain fell over the Choa Chu Kang area on 11 August 2016 where a total of 65.6mm of rainfall was recorded. On 3 August 2016, a Sumatra squall that moved across Singapore in the predawn hours brought strong wind gusts of up to 86.1km/h around the West Coast areas.
7 Rainfall across Singapore was below normal in the first half of August 2016. The highest rainfall of 56mm (39% below average) was recorded around Serangoon. Rainfall was lowest around Jurong West where 4mm (95% below average) was recorded.
CLIMATE STATION STATISTICS FOR AUGUST (Climatological reference period: 1981 – 2010)
| Mean daily maximum temperature | 31.4 °C |
| Mean daily minimum temperature | 25.0 °C |
| Mean monthly temperature | 27.9 °C |
| Mean rainfall for the month | 148.9 mm |
| Mean number of rain days | 14 |
| Highest monthly mean daily maximum temperature | 32.6 °C (1997) |
| Lowest monthlymean daily minimum temperature | 23.9 °C (1989) |
| Highest monthly rainfall | 327.3 mm (2008) |
| Lowest monthly rainfall | 45.1 mm (1994) |