Expect a wet Chinese New Year with rain and strong winds: Met Service

SINGAPORE — The Chinese New Year period, which begins this coming Sunday (Jan 22), is likely to be wet and cool as a monsoon surge is expected in the region, the Meteorological Service Singapore (Met Service) said.

In its fortnightly forecast issued on Monday, it said that over the Chinese New Year period, a possible strengthening of a high-pressure system over the northern Asian continent could bring a surge of strong north-easterly winds — or monsoon surge — over the South China Sea. 

A monsoon surge would cause extensive rainclouds to form over the surrounding region.

“The surge is likely to last for a few days and may bring cooler conditions with spells of showers over Singapore and the surrounding vicinity,” it added.

Rainy weather during the monsoon surge period may result in a fall in daily temperatures of between 22°C and 30°C on a few days.

Singapore has three days of public holidays this year for the Chinese New Year festival from Jan 22 to 24. The eve of the new year is also a time when families are expected to gather for reunion meals.

The rainy weather is likely to ease in the last week of the month with localised short-duration thundery showers to be expected in the afternoon.

Overall, above-average rainfall can be expected for the second half of January, though the total rainfall for the month is likely be near average over most parts of the island.

The wetter and cooler conditions are due to prevailing Northeast Monsoon conditions over the island and the surrounding region, which are forecast to persist, with low-level winds blowing from the northwest or northeast.

For the next two weeks, the daily temperature is forecast to range between 24°C and 32°C on most days, and may possibly peak at up to 33°C on some of the days.

FEWER SHOWERS IN FIRST HALF OF JANUARY

In its report on the first half of January, the Met Service said that there were fewer showers compared to the second half of December 2022, with well below-average rainfall recorded.

On several days in the first two weeks of the year, strong solar heating of land areas coupled with localised convergence of winds brought short-duration thundery showers, mostly in the afternoon.

The thundery showers that fell over many areas of Singapore on Sunday resulted in a daily total rainfall of 47.4mm around Bedok North area. This was the highest total rainfall in a day for the first half of January. 

The weather was relatively cool in the first half of the month with only two days when the daily maximum temperature was higher than 34°C. 

The daily minimum temperature ranged between 23°C and 24°C on most days. 

The highest daily maximum temperature of 34.8°C was recorded at Paya Lebar on Jan 8.

The lowest minimum temperature recorded was 22.3°C on Jan 12 at Sembawang. 

For more updates of the daily weather forecast, visit the Met Service's website or the National Environment Agency’s website, or download the myENV mobile application.