Last month was driest July on record in Singapore: Met Service

SINGAPORE: Last month was the driest July in Singapore since rainfall records began in 1869, said the Meteorological Service Singapore on Thursday (Aug 1). 

At the Changi climate station, the total rainfall recorded for the month was 12.2mm, breaking the previous record of 18.6mm set in July 1997. 

Last July was also the second warmest since temperature records began in 1929, said the Met Service in its advisory. 

The daily maximum temperature ranged between 28.7 degrees Celsius and 34.5 degrees Celsius. 

The monthly average temperature recorded at the climate station in Changi was 29 degrees Celsius, ranking it just below July 2015 when the average temperature was 29.1 degrees Celsius. 

Last month’s average minimum temperature was 26.9 degrees Celsius, surpassing the July record-high temperature of 26.7 degrees Celsius in 2015. 

The Met Service said that the first fortnight of August is expected to be as warm as the last one of July, with the daily temperature forecast to range between 26 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius though it could exceed 34 degrees Celsius on some days. 

Those in Singapore can also expect some warm and humid nights with minimum temperatures of around 28 degrees Celsius, as well as the occasional haze.  

“Hotspots with smoke plumes have been observed in central Sumatra and southern Kalimantan in recent days. 

“Depending on the direction of the prevailing winds and location of the fires, Singapore may experience occasional haze in the first fortnight of August 2019,” said the Met Service.