Expect more hot weather in next few months; January set to be hotter than usual

SINGAPORE - Expect hot and dry weather for the next few months.

Cooler weather will set in only in the middle of the year, when the El Nino effect is expected to gradually weaken, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Friday (Jan 15).

The average temperature this month is expected to be significantly warmer than usual, with the temperature range forecast to be between 24 and 34 deg C.

The mean temperature for the first fortnight of January was 28.1 deg C, topping the highest-ever recorded mean temperature of 28 deg C for the whole of January, which was recorded in 1998.

The mean monthly temperature is likely to be significantly warmer than the long-term average of 26.5 deg C for January, NEA said.

The mean daily maximum temperature for the first fortnight of January was 31.3 deg C, well above the long-term average mean of 30.4 deg C.

The warm weather is due to a strong El Nino, which is now at a "mature level", NEA said.

But there will be some rainy days in January due to stronger north-easterly winds, NEA said. For the next fortnight, north-east monsoon conditions are expected to persist.

Singapore is likely to experience widespread rain and occasionally windy conditions on two to three days.

Short thundery showers can be expected in the afternoon and early evening on five to seven days. But rainfall for January 2016 is expected to be below normal.

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This article was first published on Jan 15, 2016.
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