More thundery showers expected as 27-day dry spell ends

SINGAPORE — Singapore can expect thundery showers in the late morning and afternoon in the next two days, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said today (March 16).

More rainfall can be expected over the next fortnight as the Northeast Monsoon transitions to the inter-monsoon period expected in the last week of this month, the agency added.

This comes as heavy showers in the late morning and afternoon today ended the 27-day dry spell that started on Feb 17.

The NEA said the downpour was due to an “equatorial band of extensive rain clouds in the southern part of the South China Sea, brought in to Singapore and the surrounding region by strong, deep easterly winds”.

The showers were heaviest in the eastern and southern parts of the island, which received the least rainfall during the dry spell.

All except one of the Meteorological Service Singapore’s 64 rainfall stations recorded rainfall above 1mm.

As of 6.30pm today, the highest rainfall total recorded is 52.6mm at Changi, while 19 other stations in the east, south and central areas recorded rainfall totals ranging from 31mm to 51.8mm.

The highest rainfall recorded in an hour today is 33.2mm (between 12.35pm and 1.35pm) at Sentosa. CHANNEL NEWSASIA