Weather records and history
Extremes, notable events, and the warming trend
Monthly rainfall at Changi
1991-2020 normals. December is more than three times as wet as February.
Values in millimetres. Source: Meteorological Service Singapore.
All-Time Singapore Weather Records
37.0°C
Highest temperature
Tengah — 17 Apr 1983
19.4°C
Lowest temperature
Paya Lebar — 1934
512mm
Highest 24-hr rainfall
19 Dec 2006
23.4°C
Coolest month avg
January
Singapore Annual Climate Averages
Temperature
- Daily mean27.8°C
- Daily high (avg)31–32°C
- Daily low (avg)24–25°C
- Hottest monthMay
- Coolest monthJanuary
Rainfall
- Annual total2,113 mm
- Rainy days per year171
- Wettest monthNovember / December
- Driest monthFebruary
- Relative humidity (avg)82%
Notable Past Weather Events
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December 2006 — Record rainfall
A monsoon surge brought 512mm of rain in 24 hours, the highest 24-hour total on record for Singapore, causing widespread flooding.
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June 2013 — Worst haze episode
The 24-hour PSI hit 401 (Hazardous) on 21 June 2013 — the worst haze reading on record — forcing schools to close and disrupting flights.
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October 2015 — Severe haze
Strong El Niño conditions exacerbated regional fires; PSI crossed into the Hazardous range repeatedly through September and October.
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September 2019 — Haze returns
The 24-hour PSI reached 164 (Unhealthy) on 14 September, the highest in 4 years, as fires burned across Sumatra and Kalimantan.
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April 1983 — Hottest day
A temperature of 37.0°C was recorded at Tengah on 17 April 1983 — still Singapore’s all-time high.
Long-Term Climate Trends
Singapore’s climate is warming in line with global trends. The Meteorological Service Singapore reports a long-term warming trend of around +0.2°C per decade since the 1940s, with more frequent very hot days and fewer very cool nights. Annual rainfall has not shown a clear trend, but extreme rainfall events have become more intense.
Warming
Mean temperature rose from ~26.9°C (1948) to ~28.0°C (recent).
Heavier rain
Intensity of extreme rainfall events has increased since 1980.
Where to Find More Historical Data
Related Information
Where the archive lives
MSS keeps daily records at some stations back to the late 1800s. The public historical daily pages are the source, not this site. Mean temperature has risen about 1.1°C since the 1940s. Very hot days (above 34°C) are more common. Very cool nights (below 22°C) are rarer. Annual rainfall has no clean trend. Extreme rain has gotten heavier, which is what you would expect from a warmer atmosphere.