First 2 days of CNY expected to be rainy

Thundery showers are forecast in the afternoons on the first and second days of Chinese New Year, with temperatures expected to hit highs of 34 deg C and lows of 24 deg C on both Friday and Saturday, according to the four-day weather outlook on the National Environment Agency's website.

Last year, a monsoon surge affecting the South China Sea and the surrounding region meant it was a wet Chinese New Year for Singapore.

A monsoon surge also led to rainy, windy weather in 2016.

Road closures for festive countdown

Several roads and lanes are being closed to vehicles between yesterday evening and Friday morning for this year's Chinese New Year Countdown celebrations tomorrow.

They include New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street, Temple Street, Smith Street and South Bridge Road, the police said in a statement yesterday.In addition, Mosque Street will be converted into a two-way road from 5pm on Thursday to 3am the next day.

During the road closures, access will be granted to police emergency vehicles only. Auxiliary police officers will be deployed on the affected roads to assist and direct motorists. Parking restrictions will be strictly enforced, police said. Vehicles found parking and causing obstruction will be towed.

The public may contact the organiser, Kreta Ayer Community Club, on 90672301 for more information.

New bus terminal in Kampong Bahru

A new bus terminal in Spooner Road will open on March 10 to replace an existing terminus which will make way for new healthcare facilities in the area.

The Kampong Bahru bus terminal will replace the New Bridge Road bus terminal in Eu Tong Sen Street which sits on the site designated for the future Singapore General Hospital (SGH) Elective Care Centre. The healthcare facility is expected to be completed by 2022.

All 12 bus services - 2, 12, 12e, 54, 120, 121, 122, 174, 174e, 190, CT8 and CT18 - which are currently operating from the New Bridge Road bus terminal will be shifted to the Kampong Bahru one on March 10.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the new terminal will have barrier-free and sheltered boarding and alighting facilities, as well as other inclusive features, such as a priority queue zone for the elderly and disabled, as well as a family room. There will also be 150 bicycle spaces at the terminal, the LTA added.

With the change, commuters going to SGH will have to alight at a bus stop in New Bridge Road and use a pedestrian overhead bridge to get to the SGH shuttle bus pick-up point.