askST: Why is Singapore so windy in recent months?
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The stronger winds in Singapore and the surrounding region these past two months are typical of the later part of the north-east monsoon season.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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SINGAPORE – February is typically the windiest month of the year, followed by January. But with most parts of Singapore still getting strong winds in March despite the sunny weather, The Straits Times finds out why it has been getting windier in the last couple of months.
Q: How windy has it been recently?
A: Between December 2022 and March 14, 2023, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) found that the windiest day was Feb 26, with wind speed averaging 32 kmh at the climate station on Semakau Island off the south of Singapore. In comparison, the windiest day ever recorded in Singapore was Oct 16, 2016, with wind speed averaging 44.7 kmh on Semakau Island as well.
A sudden outburst of strong wind, which is known as wind gust, was recorded at 84.3kmh in Choa Chu Kang South on Feb 18. But this could not blow off the strongest-ever wind gust of 144.4kmh on April 25, 1984, in Tengah.
Q: Storms usually bring about stronger winds, but why is it still so windy in sunny Singapore?
A: The stronger winds in Singapore and the surrounding region these past two months are typical of the later part of the north-east monsoon season
On Feb 18, when the strong wind gust of 84.3kmh was recorded at Choa Chu Kang South, level winds from 750m above the earth’s surface moved at 50kmh, observed Associate Professor Koh Tieh Yong, a weather and climate scientist from the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
“As such strong and persistent monsoon wind from the South China Sea blows over the rough terrain over Johor and Singapore, this turbulent energy would strengthen due to friction even as it moves against surfaces, especially with the presence of tall buildings in Singapore, which constitutes as the wind gusts we feel on the ground,” he said.
Q: What is the impact of climate change on wind conditions?
A: As wind is generated from uneven heating of air from the earth’s surface, differences in temperatures of the land and sea are an important factor.
Some climate models have projected that the north-east monsoon winds could intensify by the end of the century because global warming could increase the difference in temperatures between the land and sea, said Assoc Prof Koh. But he added that more research is needed to confirm such projections.
Q: As climate change worsens storms in other parts of the world, why is Singapore sheltered from extreme weather like typhoons?
A: Singapore being located right next to the equator does not create major differences in surface temperatures and air pressure, which are needed to generate strong winds, said Assoc Prof Koh.
Another reason why typhoons do not form around Singapore is because of its location within five degrees from the equator, where there is a lack of momentum from the earth’s spin for converging winds to rotate upwards and form whirlwind storms like typhoons that can stretch for over 1,000 kilometres, he added.
