The inter-monsoon season generally falls between late March and May. Between January and March of this year, Singapore experienced two dry spells, each lasting 27 days, during which the total daily rainfall in most areas did not exceed one millimeter. However, over the past week or so, the parched land has finally received several heavy downpours, successfully easing the drought. According to previous reports, the heavy rain on the 16th was caused by rain clouds from the southern South China Sea. The rainfall was strongest in the eastern and southern parts of Singapore, which were also the regions most severely affected by the drought.
Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, previously cautioned that although the rainfall helps improve Singapore's air quality and alleviates the drought, this is expected to be only a temporary situation. The El Niño phenomenon may emerge in the second half of this year, which could further worsen the dry season.
As of 8 p.m. last night, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) was between 28 and 34, which is in the good range; the concentration of PM2.5 suspended particles in the air was between 16 and 20 micrograms per cubic meter.
