SINGAPORE - A warm and breezy start to 2019 is expected, said the weatherman on Monday afternoon (Dec 31).

This follows a warmer than usual December.

At the Changi climate station - the only one in Singapore - the mean monthly temperature for December 2018 was 27.6 deg C. This was 1.2 deg C higher than the long term average temperature of 26.4 deg C for December, and slightly warmer than the Decembers in the last two years, said the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).

The mean monthly temperature for December 2016 was 27.4 deg C, while that for December 2017 was 27 deg C.

The highest mean monthly temperature for the month of December was in 2015, registering 27.7 deg C.

The prevailing north-east monsoon in the region is expected to persist into January 2019.

Low level winds are forecast to blow mainly from the north-west in the first week before shifting to blow from the north-east towards the second week of January.

In the first two weeks of January, short moderate to heavy thundery showers mainly in the afternoon are expected on six to eight days.

In the first week, a tropical storm is forecast to move into the South China Sea and bring a strengthening of north-westerly to northerly winds over Singapore and the surrounding region.

Coupled with slightly drier atmospheric conditions, warm and occasional windy conditions with passing showers can be expected on three to four days that week, said the weatherman.

The warm and windy weather is likely to ease with more showers expected towards the end of the first week.

The amount of rainfall for the first two weeks of January is expected to be close to normal levels for the month.

The daily temperatures in those weeks are expected to range between 24 deg C and 33 deg C on most days.

On days when there is little or no rainfall, warm conditions with maximum temperatures of around 34 deg C can be expected.