Singapore, 30 December 2022 – The Northeast Monsoon conditions currently prevailing over the region are forecast to persist into January 2023, with low-level winds blowing from the northwest or northeast.
2 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 (or monsoon surge) over the South China Sea. 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. The showers may extend into the evening on a few days. Overall, the total rainfall for the first fortnight of 2023 is forecast to be near average over most parts of Singapore.
3 During the fortnight, 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.
4 For updates of the daily weather forecast, please visit the MSS website (https://www.weather.gov.sg), NEA website (www.nea.gov.sg), or download the myENV app.
REVIEW (1 – 29 December 2022)
5 In December 2022, Northeast Monsoon conditions prevailed over Singapore and the surrounding region. During this period, the low-level winds blew mainly from the northwest or northeast.
6 Singapore experienced short-duration moderate to heavy afternoon thundery showers on most days in December 2022. The showers extended into the evening on a few occasions. The Northeast Monsoon brought relatively windy conditions and afternoon passing showers to Singapore and the surrounding region on a few days in the last week of the month. On 11 December 2022, large-scale convergence of winds over Singapore and the surrounding vicinity led to the development of a Sumatra squall that 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, was the highest daily total rainfall for December 2022.
7 In December 2022, the daily maximum temperature was below 32 degrees Celsius on most days, due to the rainy and cloudy weather conditions. There were five days when the daily maximum temperature was higher than 33 degrees Celsius. Cooler temperatures were experienced in December 2022. All except two days in December 2022 registered daily minimum temperatures of 24 degrees Celsius or less with the lowest of 22.2 degrees Celsius recorded at Jurong West on 3 December 2022.
8 The rainfall was below average for most parts of the island in December 2022. The highest rainfall anomaly of 15 per cent above average was recorded at Sengkang East. The anomaly was lowest at Jurong West at 49 per cent below average.
CLIMATE STATION STATISTICS
Long-term Statistics for January
(Climatological reference period: 1991 – 2020)
| Average daily maximum temperature: | 30.6 °C |
| Average daily minimum temperature: | 24.3 °C |
| Average monthly temperature: | 26.8 °C |
| Average rainfall: | 221.6 mm |
| Average number of rain days: | 13 |
Historical Extremes for January
(Rainfall since 1869 and temperature since 1929)
| Highest monthly mean daily maximum temperature: | 31.8 °C (1998, 2016) |
| Lowest monthly mean daily minimum temperature: | 21.6 °C (1934) |
| Highest monthly rainfall ever recorded: | 818.6 mm (1893) |
| Lowest monthly rainfall ever recorded: | 15.4 mm (1997) |
