Singapore's Waterloo Street after a heavy downpour yesterday.

The Straits Times reported last month that the wet phase between December and January usually brings more rain, while drier conditions prevail in February and March. But La Nina - the "crybaby" sister to El Nino, which is associated with hot and dry weather in South-east Asia - could bring rain even during these months.

The La Nina will likely have a cooling effect on global temperatures, although it will not prevent this year from being one of the warmest on record, as the cooling effect is more than offset by the heat trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases.