Singapore, 17 May 2022 – The second fortnight of May 2022 is forecast to be warm and drier compared to the first half of the month. The daily maximum temperatures are expected to range between 34 and 35 degrees Celsius on most days and could reach a high of around 36 degrees Celsius on a few days. Warm and humid conditions are also expected on a few nights, with temperatures hovering around 28 degrees Celsius.
2 The Southwest Monsoon season is expected to set in during the coming fortnight, with the winds gradually strengthening and blowing mainly from the southeast or southwest. The Southwest Monsoon season typically extends into September and is a drier period compared to other times of the year.
3 In the second fortnight of May 2022, generally fair and warm weather can be expected on most days due to stable atmospheric conditions, the presence of dry air over Singapore and the surrounding equatorial Southeast Asia region and the influence of a dry phase of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) [1]. On some days in the fortnight, localised short-duration showers, at times with thunder, are expected over a few parts of the island in the late morning and early afternoon. In addition, island-wide thundery showers with occasional gusty winds, due to Sumatra squalls, can be expected in the morning on one or two days. With below-average rainfall to be expected for the second fortnight, the overall rainfall for May 2022 is expected to be below- to near-average over most parts of Singapore.
4 With drier weather expected in the coming fortnight, warm conditions are forecast on most days for the rest of May 2022. The daily maximum temperatures are expected to range between 34 and 35 degrees Celsius on most days and could reach a high of around 36 degrees Celsius on a few days. Warm nights can be expected with night-time temperatures of up to 28 degrees Celsius on a few days, mostly over the southern and eastern coastal areas of the island, when prevailing winds blowing from the east or southeast bring in warm and humid air from the seas.
5 For updates of the daily weather forecast, please visit the MSS website (www.weather.gov.sg), NEA website (www.nea.gov.sg), or download the myENV app.
REVIEW (1 – 16 May 2022)
6 Inter-monsoon conditions prevailed over Singapore and the surrounding region in the first half of May 2022, with the prevailing winds generally light and blowing from the east or southeast. On some days, the prevailing winds shifted to blow from the southwest..
7 On several days in the first fortnight of May 2022, the presence of low-pressure systems over the surrounding sea areas widespread thundery showers and gusty winds to Singapore between the early hours and morning. On 4 May 2022, heavy thundery showers from a Sumatra squall fell over many parts of Singapore in the predawn and early morning. The daily total rainfall of 89.2mm recorded at Tuas South that day was the highest daily total for the first half of May 2022.
8 Although it rained on most days during the first half of the month, there were still several warm days. There were eight days where maximum temperatures of 34 degrees Celsius or more were recorded. The highest daily maximum temperature of 36.7 degrees Celsius was recorded at Admiralty on 13 May 2022. This is the highest temperature ever recorded in Singapore in May, surpassing the previous record high of 36.5 degrees Celsius on 16 May 2010 and 3 May 2016.
9 About two-third of Singapore experienced above-average rainfall during the first fortnight of May 2022. The rainfall recorded at Admiralty was 138 percent above-average while that recorded over the eastern part of Singapore at Changi was 73 percent below-average.
[1] The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is characterised by an eastward propagation of clouds and rainfall over the tropical regions from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean.
CLIMATE STATION STATISTICS
Long-term Statistics for May
(Climatological reference period: 1991 – 2020)
| Average daily maximum temperature: | 32.3 °C |
| Average daily minimum temperature: | 25.7 °C |
| Average monthly temperature: | 28.6 °C |
| Average rainfall: | 164.3 mm |
| Average number of rain days: | 15 |
Historical Extremes for May
(Rainfall since 1869 and temperature since 1929)
| Highest monthly mean daily maximum temperature: | 33.6 °C (1997) |
| Lowest monthly mean daily minimum temperature: | 23.5 °C (1974) |
| Highest monthly rainfall ever recorded: | 386.6 mm (1892) |
| Lowest monthly rainfall ever recorded: | 41.6 mm (1997) |