Why is it so hot in Singapore this month?

Is it just me or its getting really hot this March! It feels like someone turned up the temperature and suddenly our cool and breezy January has become a sweaty few weeks. When I was in Taiwan last week, it was perfect there, the temperature was a cool 18-25 degrees every day and I had to wear a jacket when it was dark. I’ve always wondered what causes the weather in countries to be different? And why is it getting hotter in Singapore now?

Mr. Sun, Mr. Golden Sun

The most obvious factor is how long we get sunlight everyday. The longer the hotter (duh!). What is interesting is that the sun doesn’t actually heat up the air directly, instead it heats up the ground which then heats up the air. This means that while the length of time in sunlight matters, it is also important where that sunlight meets the ground. If clouds cover the city area and sunlight only hits gardens and forests, then it will not be as hot. That explains why in Singapore, our government is so focused on planting trees - that will help our manage our hot days!

Ocean Currents and Wind

It doesn’t take a genius to know that the sun also heats up the ocean. Since the part of the Earth that we live in (called the equator) gets the most sun, the sea water around us are the warmest. This warm water then spreads out towards the North and South Pole and they distribute the heat across the world. This creates what scientists call the great ocean currents, which help the fish and mammals in the ocean plan their migration to reproduce or to feast.

Just like on land, the warm water heats up the air around it, and the warm air also spreads out, creating wind. The direction of the wind then carries clouds over different places and depending on the direction of travel, creates rainy and non-rainy seasons. That’s why it rains a whole lot more in December in Singapore than in June!

Staying Cool

With the temperature in the world going bonkers due to climate change, it is getting much hotter during the hot months and colder during the cool months. Doing all we can to slow down climate change it’s important. The easiest thing to do is to start planting plants around us. Whether it is along your corridor or in your garden if you happen to have one, plants help cool our environment down by providing shade, trapping water and converting the heat energy to useful calories (food!).

Let's stay cool indoors but let's also keep the earth cool for the future!