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Is Singapore’s pleasant chill a hint of coming climate change?
- In a region usually plagued by sweltering heat, January brought cold snaps to Singapore, Manila and Bangkok
- But climate experts said the chilly weather may have been partly responsible for heavy rain and flooding in Southeast Asia, with possibly worse events to come
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In the early weeks of January, unusually cool weather descended on Singapore and its neighbouring countries. While the dip in temperatures came with heavy downpours of rain, it was a change Jessie Tay embraced. The marketing executive, 32, took the opportunity to break out her cosy knits and hoodies, which she once reserved for autumn holidays.
“For once, we can leave our homes and not be plastered in sweat by the time we get to the bus stop or railway station,” Tay said. “It was raining badly, but at least that came with great weather.”
In a region usually plagued by sweltering heat, cooler weather prevailed in January. Temperatures fell as low as 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit) in Manila, while Bangkok recorded a record low of 16 degrees.
But while Tay and many others embraced the uncharacteristic chill, climate experts warned it could be the first hint of unfolding climate change in the region.
“The slightly cooler air delivers lots of moisture, which can lead to heavy rainfall and flooding, said Matthew Ashfold, head of the School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences at the University of Nottingham Malaysia.
At particular risk, he said, were the east coast states of peninsular Malaysia, “which typically receive lots of rainfall when cold air outbreaks occur”.
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