April 2016 on track to be the warmest April on record
Advisory
Singapore, 29 April 2016 – For May 2016, inter-monsoon conditions are expected to persist over the region. The prevailing low level winds will continue to be light and variable in direction.
2. In the first fortnight of May 2016, short-duration thundery showers can be expected mostly in the afternoon on seven to nine days due to strong solar heating of land areas coupled with wind convergence. In addition, thundery showers with gusty winds due to a Sumatra squall can be expected in the pre-dawn and morning on one or two days. The rainfall for first fortnight of the month is expected to be near average.
3. Climatologically, May is the second warmest month of the year after April. The warm conditions experienced in Singapore in April 2016 can still be experienced on some days in the first half of May 2016. The daily maximum temperatures during this period are expected to range between 33°C and 35°C on most days.
Review (1 – 28 April 2016)
4. Inter-Monsoon conditions prevailed over the region in April 2016, with low level winds generally light and variable in direction.
5. Singapore experienced significantly warmer temperatures over many parts of the island in April 2016, with the highest daily maximum temperatures exceeding 34°C on most days. As of 28 April 2016, the mean monthly temperature for the month is 29.5°C, 0.3°C above than the highest ever mean monthly temperature for April recorded in 1998. April 2016 is thus on track to be the warmest ever April in Singapore since temperature records started in 1929. In addition, the daily maximum temperature of 36.7°C recorded at Seletar on 13 April 2016 was the second highest ever recorded temperature in Singapore. For the month to date, the highest daily maximum temperature reached 35°C or above on 13 days.
6. During the review period, the light wind conditions coupled with strong solar heating resulted in the development of moderate to heavy thundery showers in the late morning and afternoon on some days. The thundery showers on 3 and 20 April were particularly heavy with the highest daily rainfall total of 111.4mm and 104.6mm recorded at Upper Pierce Reservoir and Jurong areas respectively. Despite the showers on many days, both daytime and night time temperatures have been significantly high in April 2016.
7. Almost all parts of Singapore received below average rainfall in April 2016. Rainfall was lowest around Seletar, where 80.6mm (63% below average) was recorded. The highest rainfall of 243.2mm (13% above average) was recorded around Ang Mo Kio.
CLIMATE STATION STATISTICS FOR MAY (Climatological reference period: 1981 – 2010)
| Mean daily maximum temperature | 32.2 degrees Celsius |
| Mean daily minimum temperature | 25.4 degrees Celsius |
| Mean monthly temperature | 28.3 degrees Celsius |
| Mean rainfall for the month | 171.2 mm |
| Mean number of rain days | 14 |
| Highest monthly mean daily maximum temperature | 33.6 degrees Celsius (1997) |
| Lowest monthly mean daily minimum temperature | 24.5 degrees Celsius (1981,1982,1984,1989) |
| Highest monthly rainfall | 370.8 mm (1998) |
| Lowest monthly rainfall | 41.6 mm (1997) |