S’poreans Might Experience A Hot Christmas This Year According To The Weatherman

IT’S SNOWING IN SINGAPORE!

Of course not, good reader. That definitely got your attention, though.

Though there have been reports of odd things like hail, Singapore is generally known as an extremely hot country. It is extremely easy to just write if off and say ‘global warming’.

But what if I told you the problem was actually kind of different?

The Indian Ocean Dipole

This might get a little dry, so bear with me.

Get it, dry? Hot climate joke?

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) had warned earlier this month that the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is currently in its “positive” phase.

Basically, if you are a layman like me: Singapore is getting even hotter and drier. Not just us by the way, but South-east Asia as a whole!

The impact of the positive phase of the IOD on South-east Asia is similar to the one that another climate phenomenon, El Nino.

But…what exactly does that mean for us?

According to the MSS, this positive phase is likely going to last around six months. This will go on until the negative phase, which will bring about our beloved rainfall.

Which means yes, this dry spell is going to be quiteeeee a bit longer.

Breaking Records

Keeping with the flow of information (note water pun), the total rainfall recorded at the climate station in Changi was 92 per cent below the long-term average.

No, you absolutely did not read it wrong. NINETY-TWO!

This marks the driest July in Singapore’s history since 1997. In fact, last month marked the second hottest July in Singapore at an average of 29°C.

A spokesman for national water agency Public Utilities Board (PUB) said there has been a slight drop in the water level at Bedok Reservoir due to the warm weather. She also mentioned that general reservoir stock will drop during this period.

Feeling slightly discouraged? I was.

But never fear, PUB is here.

During these dry months, PUB will top up Singapore’s reservoirs with our urine Newater, or recycled used water, to keep water reserves at a healthy level.

Water will be further treated at the waterworks before supplying it to the population.

I can literally hear all your sighs of reliefs from here.

Not The First Time

Besides, this is definitely not the first time we have battled such climates. In 2014, we have had a dry spell that lasted 17 February to 15 March.

Singapore Management University’s Associate Professor of Humanities Winston Chow mentioned, “Further studies after this event need to be done to establish if the dry weather is linked to climate change, or if it is within natural variability for tropical weather.”

If you want any advice from me, stay out of excessive heat. Also, drinks loads of water. Thirst is the worst.