Expect rain and cooler temperatures over the next two weeks as Singapore enters the north-east monsoon season.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) is expecting light winds to blow in predominantly from the north-east or north-west with short, thundery showers in the afternoons and early evenings.

Next week, as monsoon winds strengthen, there could be moderate to heavy rain on one or two days.

Last month, there were thundery showers on most days due to inter-monsoon conditions. That brought light winds, which gradually strengthened towards the end of the month, signalling the start of the north-east monsoon.

About half of Singapore received above-average rainfall last month. Temperatures ranged between 22.7 and 34.9 deg C. The highest rainfall of 331mm to 376mm, which is 20 to 40 per cent above average, was recorded around Toa Payoh and Woodlands respectively. The eastern part of the island around Tanah Merah received the lowest rainfall with 61 to 112mm recorded, which was 60 to 80 per cent below average. Thundery showers were heaviest on Nov 17. On that day, the highest total daily rainfall recorded was 68.4mm around the Queenstown area.

With the traditional dry season over, NEA said last month that transboundary haze is unlikely to affect the island for the rest of the year. The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index has been in the good and low end of the moderate range since then.