Do you think Singapore is getting hotter and hotter?
If you did, take comfort in the knowledge that you are not making it up. There is indeed a heat wave going around.
And not just in Singapore. Other countries such as Thailand, India, China and Korea have got it bad too.
Here’s what you need to know about the sudden heat wave.
Rising Temperatures in Singapore
It’s no fake news that Singapore has been getting hotter, and the weather forecast for sunny Singapore is that April is set to get hotter.
A part of it is due to El Nino returning in 2023, which is thought to be responsible for the heat waves hitting many Asian countries.
As El Nino is the warm phase of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, temperatures rise during the El Nino seasons. These periods can last for months, but it is not impossible for the period to span years.
When El Nino shows us, sea surface temperatures tend to be above average for the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. This leads to greater rainfall in those areas and correspondingly lower rainfall in Singapore. Such a phenomenon plays a part in rising temperatures on our little island.
In the meantime, all we can do is take shelter in our air-conditioned malls and eat some ice cream to cool ourselves down.
Heat Wave in Thailand Led to Warning to Stay Indoors
There’s nothing new about South East Asian countries being hot. After all, our climate is meant to be warm and sunny, inviting those who love to get a tan or frolic on the beach to our side of the world.
But things appear to be getting out of hand.
In Thailand, the Meteorological Department recently issued a forecast that temperatures could hit almost 43 degrees Celsius in the country’s northern region. Temperatures were forecasted to hit an eye-watering 40 degrees Celsius in the capital of Bangkok.
The highest temperature last Saturday was recorded in the northern province of Phetchabun at 42.5 degrees Celsius.
That’s almost halfway to boiling water on the streets! We imagine you would be able to cook one of Thailand’s famous crab meat omelettes if you tried.
The rise in temperature, coupled with the heavy humidity in the region, makes the feeling of the heat worse. Thailand’s Meteorological Department forecasted the “feel” temperature in the eastern province of Chonburi to be 53.8 degrees Celsius, and today, the southern resort island of Phuket could feel hotter than 54 degrees Celsius.
Time to pull out the sunblock for real! Due to all of these rising temperatures, the Thai authorities have warned those in Thailand to avoid going outdoors due to the extreme heat. This helps residents to avoid getting heat stroke as they reduce their exposure to direct heat and sunlight.
The climate crisis striking the world has caused China, especially its southern region, to face more persistent high temperatures. The northern region, instead, is more prone to floods.
China has been plagued by a heatwave problem since 2022, where major cities, including Chongqing in the southwest of China, suffered from temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius.
With the heatwave not looking like it is relenting any time soon, citizens should brace themselves to consume more energy to cool themselves down and prepare for any adverse impact on crops.
It’s a good thing that Singapore does not focus on primary agriculture for its economy, so we have one less problem to worry about, given the rising temperatures.
Stay hydrated, everybody!