Looks like the brolly might still be useful with rain expected this week. And even into February, but to keep out the scorching sun instead, as drier days replace the wet ones that Singapore experienced in the second half of January.

Drier weather is forecast for the first half of February, as the prevailing north-east monsoon enters its dry phase, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said in a media advisory yesterday.

The season is characterised by drier weather and occasionally windy conditions, with low-level winds from the north-east or north-west.

The daily temperature for the first fortnight of February is expected to range between 23 deg C and 33 deg C, with a high of around 34 deg C on some days. Short-duration thundery showers can still be expected, mostly in the afternoon on four or five days, MSS said.

February is the driest month of the year. Singapore typically experiences fewer days of rain in this month as the monsoon rain belt lies south of the Equator, MSS said in its release.

January saw daily temperatures dip to between 21.7 deg C and 25.4 deg C. There were some warm days during the month as well. At the Changi climate station, the maximum temperature of 33.7 deg C recorded on Jan 8 surpassed the record highest daily maximum temperature for January by 0.1 deg C set on Jan 27, 1998.