Singapore saw a wet and stormy afternoon on Monday, Sept 21, with moderate to heavy thundery showers and gusty winds affecting several parts of the island.
The National Environment Agency initially warned of heavy showers over northern and western Singapore between 2.15pm and 3pm. The alert was later extended to southern, western and central areas from 2.50pm to 3.45pm as rain clouds moved across the island.
Despite the heavy rain, no flood risk advisory had been issued by PUB as of the afternoon. Weather radar showed patches of rain clouds over northern Singapore and areas south of the island near Batam.
The rain also brought some relief to Singapore’s air quality. At 6pm, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index ranged from 66 to 81, remaining within the moderate range, while one-hour PM2.5 readings across all five regions were in the normal band.
However, the improvement may not mean the haze threat is over. NEA said moderate to dense smoke plumes continued to be observed from fires in Kalimantan and southern Sumatra. With winds expected to continue coming mainly from the southeast, there remains a risk of smoke haze affecting Singapore. The 24-hour PSI forecast was placed in the moderate to low-unhealthy range.
The wet conditions were broadly in line with Singapore’s fortnightly weather outlook. The Meteorological Service Singapore said more showers were expected during the second half of September, with localised short-duration thundery showers likely between the late morning and afternoon on most days. Temperatures were still expected to reach around 33°C to 34°C on most days, with some days potentially reaching about 35°C.
The weather pattern is expected to remain unsettled, with thundery showers continuing over Singapore in the following days.
For residents and commuters, the combination of sudden heavy rain, gusty winds and lingering haze means conditions can change quickly — and the next downpour could arrive sooner than expected.
