Thundery showers expected in second half of May

SINGAPORE - Get your umbrellas ready. Thundery showers are expected to hit Singapore in the second half of May.

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said in an advisory that slightly hazy conditions are also expected in the early morning on a few days due to accumulation of particulate matter under light wind conditions.

Over the next two weeks, the prevailing light and variable low level winds are forecast to gradually turn to blow from the southeast or south-southwest.

As a result, Singapore can expect four or five days of short-duration thundery showers in the late morning and early afternoon. Thundery showers with gusty winds are also expected in the early hours on one or two days due to Sumatra squalls.

Rainfall for the month is expected to be near-normal, MSS said.

Wet weather conditions persisted in Singapore on most days in the first half of May, with thundery showers occurring mostly in the afternoon.

On May 3, moderate to heavy thundery showers affected many areas of Singapore in the afternoon and evening due to the convergence of winds and strong daytime heating of land areas. The highest total rainfall recorded on on that day was 119.6mm over the Bukit Panjang area.

Approximately two thirds of Singapore received above normal rainfall in the first half of May, with the western part of the island around Chua Chu Kang and Nanyang Avenue receiving the highest rainfall of 164mm to 210mm These figures are 110 per cent to 150 per cent above average.

The lowest rainfall of 11mm to 24mm was recorded over the eastern part of the island around Changi.

ljessica@sph.com.sg