Hottest weekend of 2011 so far

Hottest weekend of 2011 so far

Bad news for those hoping that the scorching heat will be over soon: The National Environment Agency (NEA) said it will remain until the end of next month.

An NEA spokesman said that the daily maximum temperatures recorded over the past weekend have been the highest so far this year.

"Climatologically, May and June are the hottest months of the year," said the spokesman.

Sunday's highest reading of 35.3 deg C came very close to matching the hot-test day in May on record. That was in 2005, when the mercury rose to 35.4 deg C.

Singapore's hottest day was on March 26, 1998, when the temperature soared to 36 deg C.

Retiree Raymond Lim, 81, who lives in a terrace house in Kembangan, found the heat unbearable.

He said: "The weather has been terrible. I couldn't sleep last night and I'm perspiring right now, even with two fans aimed at me."

Project coordinator Barbara Latimer, 20, is also hoping the heat will go away soon.
Ms Latimer, who lives in a condominium in East Coast, said: "The weather has been very temperamental. It will be hot for a few days, then (the rain) will pour down like it's the monsoon season."

She added that she always feels like she is "getting sunburnt" when she steps outdoors.

The long-term average daily maximum temperature for this month is expected to be 31.6 deg C, said the NEA spokesman. He added that the weather this week is expected to be mostly warm, with isolated showers in the afternoon on a few days.

Associate Professor Matthias Roth, from the National University of Singapore's department of geography, said: "Singapore is currently in transition between the north-east and south-west monsoons.

"The weather is relatively dry and winds are low, adding to the heat."

He emphasised that if global warming "continues the way it has" for the last 30 years, slightly higher temperatures could be expected worldwide.

General practitioner C. C. Lim said that while no special measures need to be taken to curb the effects of the heat, it is important to drink enough fluids.

He said: "Be well-hydrated, especially if you're suffering from diarrhoea, and do not exercise in the midday sun."

~News courtesy of OMY~