Singapore set to face another monsoon surge this weekend

Singapore, Jan 16 (PTI) Singaporeans have been alerted to another monsoon surge over this weekend, just days after last weekend’s heavy downpour had disrupted flights at the Changi Airport and floods hit low-lying areas of the city state.

The prevailing Northeast Monsoon conditions are expected to continue in the second fortnight of January 2025, with winds blowing mainly from the northwest or northeast, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Thursday.

Between 17 to 19 January 2025, a surge of north-easterly winds or monsoon surge is expected over the South China Sea. This may bring windy and cooler conditions with occasional spells of moderate to heavy thundery showers over Singapore and the surrounding vicinity, the NEA said.

On Thursday, Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, posted on Facebook, “Standby your umbrellas (again)!” A strengthening of the high-pressure system over northern continental Asia brought a surge of moderate to strong northeast monsoon winds over the South China Sea on several days of January 2025, noted the agency.

The surge brought cool and wet weather over Singapore between January 10 and 13. The daily total rainfall of 241.8mm recorded at Pulau (island) Tekong on January 10 was the highest daily total rainfall ever recorded in January, exceeding the previous record of 238.2mm on 30 January 2011.

A monsoon surge refers to bursts of cold air from the north-east, such as central Asia, which flows over the South China Sea, before bringing widespread rainfall, strong winds and cooler weather to Singapore.

When regions up north, such as Siberia, experience extremely cold weather in the winter months, the cold air occasionally sweeps southwards to the South China Sea, and is blown towards the tropics.

The air then warms and picks up moisture, leading to the formation of dense rain clouds. This brings increased rainfall near the equator.

Singapore experiences two to four monsoon surges each year, on average.

As for the rest of the fortnight, short-duration thundery showers are forecast in the afternoon on most days. Overall, the rainfall for the second half of January 2025 is expected to be above average over most parts of the island.

Well-above average rainfall was received across the island in the first fortnight of January 2025. The highest anomaly of 345 per cent above average was recorded at Kent Ridge on the west coast of the island, while the lowest 185 per cent was recorded at Tengah in northern eastern parts.

For this weekend, non-stop island-wide downpours are expected from Friday to Sunday as the year’s second monsoon surge descends over the island state and its vicinities.

This will come just days after the first episode of heavy rains ended on January 13.

Sun shined on parts of the island during the first half of Thursday. But preparations are being made to manage coastal areas which could see more flash flooding during this weekend’s monsoon surge, as tides are expected to be higher in the coming weekend compared with the previous surge.

There was a high tide of 3.2m at 11.35 am on Wednesday, according to the NEA announcement.

Tide levels of 3m and above are considered higher than normal, according to the Public Utilities Board (PUB), the water management agency.

On January 17, the tides are expected to reach up to 3.2m in the afternoon, according to information from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

On January 18, the tides could reach 3.1m in the afternoon, reported The Straits Times quoting the authority.

The highest tide during the January 10 to 13 monsoon surge was 2.9m.

Overall, the rainfall for the second half of January is expected to be above average over most parts of the island.

To prepare for the monsoon season, the PUB has been handing out protection devices and barriers to flood-prone houses and businesses.

The PUB’s Quick Response Teams are deployed to flood-risk locations and places where flash floods occur. PTI GS GSP GSP