There seems no relief for Singaporeans from the gloomy and damp weather as AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls said a slow-moving tropical system is gaining strength over the Gulf of Thailand (along with the coast of Singapore) and is expected to bring torrential rainfall in Singapore and Malaysia this weekend. Worse still, the downpour can trigger flooding and mudslides in several areas of Singapore and some regions of Malaysia.
Rainfall will be most severe along the southeastern coast on Saturday, according to the forecast. From Sunday, the depression will start shifting northward. Eastern Malaysia is expected to be the worst affected. Other regions may receive as much as 500 mm.
Residents of Mersing, Pekan and Kuala Dungun have already been alerted and asked to prepare for possible evacuations.
Singapore, on the other hand, is expected to receive a total of 75-150 mm rainfall at the beginning of the weekend. The eastern areas will be severely affected as they are likely to receive the higher amount. The Lion City should prepare itself for several flight delays and road blockages, though.
Currently, the weather in the city-state is not very favourable as the temperature has been cool and wet over the past few days. While Ang Mo Kio and Pulau Ubin recorded a dip below 22°C, other parts experienced temperatures below 23°C on Friday (12 January), which is below normal.
Singapore has also been reeling under flash flood triggered by heavy rain last week. The rising water level not only caused inconvenience for pedestrians but also stalled cars and buses.
National Environment Agency (NEA) has also warned of a monsoon surge in the South China Sea region.
