August 2021 is the Wettest August Since 1980 With 24 Rain Days in That Month

In some places, rainy days carry an air of melancholy, as everyone waits patiently in their homes for sunlight to shine on them again.

But in Singapore, where the sun shines a little too enthusiastically every day of the year, rainy days are a godsend.

Fortunately, we had an abundance of them last month. The only downside is that if you were outside your house, then it would have been rather difficult to get around on certain days.

We all knew that August was particularly wet, but apparently, it rained so much that it broke a record.

August 2021 is the Wettest August Since 1980 With 24 Rain Days in That Month

August 2021 was the wettest month in the last 40 years, according to the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).

Back in 1996, a record 396.3mm of rainfall fell on Singapore in the month of August, setting a new record.

This record was broken last month, as a total rainfall of 426.2mm was recorded.

Overall, based on the rainfall averaged over long-term stations islandwide, August 2021 is the wettest August since 1980, MSS said.

Woah. 

In fact, it rained 24 days out of 31 for the month, as recorded at the Changi climate station.

This explains why residents mostly spent their time in August napping. 

Flash floods occurred twice last month, with the most notable being at the junction of Pasir Ris Drive 12 and Tampines Avenue 10, which led to the SCDF-led evacuation of motorists and drivers from their vehicles.

The lowest temperature for the month was 21.3 °C, which was recorded at Newton on 23 Aug.

So, what’s to blame for this?

Indian Ocean Dipole

You know those weather phenomenons that the weatherman describes to explain changes in the climate? The type no one really understands? Well, one such phenomenon is the cause of the extra rainfall.

Called the Indian Ocean Dipole, it triggers a difference in sea surface temperature between two areas or poles, hence the term dipole.

For countries in the eastern end of the Indian Ocean basin, like Singapore, the IOD brings more rainfall.

There are three phases in this phenomenon: neutral, positive and negative.

In the negative phase, winds that are blowing towards the eastern end of the Indian ocean pick up, causing the water there to increase in temperature.

And since the water is warm, this leads to the formation of more rain clouds, meaning we’ll all have to cancel our dates at Sentosa.

We’re currently in the negative phase, which is predicted to go on till October.

And it looks like the wet weather is set to continue.

First Half of September to Have Thundery Showers on Most Days

The first two weeks of September will see thundery short-duration thundery showers on most days between the morning and early afternoon, the MSS said.

“On one or two days, widespread moderate to heavy thundery showers can be expected,” it added.

We might have a respite from the constant downpours in August, however, as the weatherman predicted a few warmer days in the first half of Sep, as compared to Aug.

Overall, though, the total rainfall for the first half of the month is expected to be above average over most parts of the island.

The good news? Temperatures may dip to around 22°C on a couple of rainy days. Generally, temperatures are forecast to range between 24°C and 33°C.

So, if you’re returning to the office, going to school, or just going out for a meal at the coffee shop, it’d be a good idea to grab an umbrella on your way out.

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Featured Image: Facebook (Hidayati Syekin)