Weather in Singapore

Singapore's average annual rainfall is 2357.8 mm.

Climatologically speaking, February falls in the latter half of the Northeast Monsoon Season and is a relatively dry month. In fact, it has only 11 raindays as compared to 20 days in December, which lies in the wet part of the Northeast Monsoon. Hence, the drier weather in February is expected. March is the last of the Northeast Monsoon months. There is a tendency for the rainfall to slightly increase in March. This results from a gradual increase in shower activity arising from connective heating in the afternoon and early evening over the island.

However, despite the above observations based on long-term records, from year to year there could be variations in the degree of dryness due to annual climatic fluctuations.

In general, dry weather is the result of lack of convection or stable atmosphere which prevents the devleopment of rain-bearing clouds. Vertical uplifting of the air is weak when the atmosphere is stable or this could be cause by descending air over a large area ? as is often observed during periods of widespread haze in SW Monsoon months. Winds blowing from dry regions are usually lacking insufficient moisture thus preventing clouds from forming. Strong winds aloft sometimes inhibit the vertical development of rain-bearing clouds.

Singapore has two main seasons, the Northeast Monsoon (December to March) and the Southwest Monsoon season (May to September), separated by two relatively shorter inter-monsoon periods. Although there are no distinct wet or dry periods, the mean monthly rainfall shows drier weather conditions from May to July and wetter conditions in the months from November to January. February is also a relatively dry month. The beginning and end of the monsoons are usually not very well-defined. Hence, from year to year, there could be slight delay in the beginning or end of a monsoon period. This probably accounts for the monthly rainfall anomaly experienced from year to year.

For more information about weather in SIngapore see: http://www.weather.gov.sg/wip/web/home/faq