Small outdoor businesses plan to weather impending monsoon surge

SINGAPORE — Stallholders at Ramadan bazaars are refusing to have their spirits dampened by the unseasonably wet weather forecast for the next few days, and said they could still depend on online sales if people stayed away.

“With no covered linkway into the bazaar, the number of customers will definitely be fewer, but we run our business on Instagram as well, so we are still able to maintain sales,” said Mr Syed Shamroz Khan, owner of Mr Pani Puri at the sheltered Geylang Serai Ramadan bazaar.

Since 2023, customers have been able to order panipuri, a traditional Indian snack, from Mr Syed online and have it delivered, and he is counting on this avenue to keep up sales.

He added that most vendors now accept online or mobile orders.

The weatherman says heavy downpours are expected from March 19 to 21

in the third monsoon surge of the year.

The forecast event is uncommon, as monsoon surges tend to occur during the earlier phase of the north-east monsoon season, between December and January. Singapore is currently in the end phase of the monsoon season, which lasts till March or so.

The Republic experiences two to four monsoon surges each year, on average.

While vendors across at least a dozen bazaars operating islandwide in the run-up to Hari Raya Puasa on March 31 are expected to experience some dropping off of sales as a result, many are staying hopeful.

Mr Shabeer Khan, owner of Samad & Sons, a carpet and rug retailer at the Geylang Serai bazaar, is unfazed as well, and said people still need to shop for the festive season.

“Rain or shine, people will still come,” said the stallholder, who does not have an online presence.

His more pressing concern would have been leaks in the canvas roofing, which were there when the bazaar first opened, causing his rugs to get wet in downpours.

“The management was very responsive though – I raised it with them, and they very quickly layered the roof with additional canvas, which solved the issue,” he added.

Meanwhile, at the open-air Kampong Glam bazaar, some stall owners said they would get creative to push sales.

Mr Johari Abdul Ghani, a staff member of satay stall RS Satay, said the stall would close temporarily in a heavy downpour. If that should happen, he might live-stream on TikTok to collect online orders for satay. Alternatively, he could roam the sheltered walkways of nearby buildings with an umbrella and a big bag of satay to reach customers.

“It’s not too much trouble, and either way, we close our stall for just a while. We can take the time to stock up on our satay,” he added.

Freelance caricature artist Faizal Bakar, who is usually located around Orchard and Chinatown, is lucky, in that he is able to take his business where he wants. Equipped with two foldable stools, a clipboard and some art supplies, he will simply pack up and look for shelter should it rain.

For the rest of the fortnight, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said to expect short-duration thundery showers in the afternoon on most days. Overall, rainfall for the second half of March 2025 is expected to be above average over most parts of the island, said MSS.

The previous surge in January had also presented outdoor businesses like Bistro by Gardenasia, a farm-to-table bistro at Neo Tiew Crescent, with some “quieter days”, said owner Kenny Eng, who will be taking steps to prepare for the third wave of erratic weather.

“We adjusted our seating arrangements to more sheltered areas, and also offer takeaway or delivery to ensure our customers can still enjoy fresh local produce wherever they are,” he said.

Wakeboarding company Singapore Wake Park is expecting cancellations, similar to what happened during the surge from Jan 10 to 13. “We will still continue operations as per usual if it is just a drizzle, as long as there is no lightning or heavy rain that affects visibility,” a spokesperson said.

The company said it would be able to reschedule sessions in the event of a cancellation, provide alternative activities, including indoor games or workshops for groups, or offer refunds or credits for future sessions where rescheduling is not possible.

PUB urged commuters to adjust travel plans between March 19 and 21, if needed, and check for flood risks and plan travel routes accordingly. PUB Flood Alerts on the Telegram messaging app gives heads-ups on areas to avoid where there is a risk of flooding, and updates on flash flood incidents.

Some members of the public are determined to take the impending rain in their stride.

Mr Daryl Ong, 39, and Ms Stephanie Ho, 38, who have two young daughters, said the rainy weather would not keep them at home during this week’s school holidays. “We are prepared – we usually carry an umbrella on hand, and have a few more in the car. We can also drive somewhere where there is shelter when it starts raining, so it’s really not that inconvenient... The kids need to go out and play,” Mr Ong said.