Singapore, 27 October 2014 – Singapore and the surrounding region can expect more rain in the coming weeks, as the Southwest Monsoon has transitioned to Inter-Monsoon conditions over the past week. This signals the end of the traditional dry season in the region, and the likelihood of transboundary haze affecting Singapore for the rest of the year will thus be low, according to the Meteorological Service Singapore.
2 The Inter-Monsoon period normally lasts from October to November, and is characterised by more rainfall and light winds that are variable in direction. The increased rainfall will help alleviate the hotspot and haze situation in Sumatra and Kalimantan. During this period Singapore may experience occasional slight haze, mainly in the morning, on some days due to the accumulation of particulate matter in the air under light wind conditions. The haze situation is expected to improve further with the onset of the rainy season brought by the Northeast Monsoon in early December.
3 Based on the forecasts from most global climate models, a weak El Nino is still likely to develop towards the end of 2014 or early 2015. However, past El Nino events that form at that time of the year have been shown to have less impact on rainfall patterns in Singapore and the nearby region.
4 With the improvement in the haze situation, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will discontinue issuing the daily Haze Forecast and Health Advisory after Monday, 27 October 2014. Air quality readings will still be available hourly, from 7am to 11pm, on the haze microsite (www.haze.gov.sg), the NEA corporate website (www.nea.gov.sg), and on the MyENV application. Air quality readings from 12am to 6am will be made available at 7am on the same day. NEA will continue to monitor the weather and haze situation in the region, and update the public when necessary.
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