Singapore, Jan 14 (PTI) The recent monsoon surge affecting Singapore and the surrounding region is “the longer and more intense one in recent years”, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said on Tuesday.
Channel News Asia reported that the surge, which began on Friday and only started to weaken on Monday, brought moderate to heavy showers with the occasional thunder.
A monsoon surge refers to strengthening winds over the South China Sea that cause extensive rain clouds to form over a surrounding region.
Inclement weather affected airline traffic at Changi Airport, one of the world's busiest civil aviation aircraft-managing hubs.
Ranked the top 5 busiest airports in the world in 2023 by Airports Council International World, Changi Airport links Singapore to around 160 cities globally, with about 100 airlines operating more than 6,900 flights weekly.
"On average, Singapore experiences between two and four monsoon surges each year, with each event lasting between one and five days," added the weatherman.
Changi recorded the highest total rainfall at 255.2mm from Friday to Saturday.
This amount is more than Singapore's average monthly rainfall of 222.4mm in January, national water agency PUB said.
Twelve flights were diverted from Changi Airport due to the monsoon surge and prolonged rain in Singapore.
The flights, operated by various airlines, were from destinations including Bangkok, Jakarta, Phuket and Shanghai, the Changi Airport Group (CAG) said.
Several Singapore Airlines (SIA) flights continue to be delayed or retimed due to the ongoing inclement weather in Singapore and the region.
“This (inclement weather) is expected to continue through the weekend,” said SIA on Sunday.
More than 50 Singapore Airlines flights over the two days (January 10-11) were delayed or retimed due to the inclement weather, The Straits Times quoted an SIA spokesman as saying.