The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) announced on Thursday that Singapore was the warmest on record in 2016, breaking the previous joint record set in the years 2015, 1998 and 1997.
In its Annual Climate Assessment Report, MSS stated that 2016 saw an annual mean temperature of 28.4°C, exceeding the climatological average by 0.9°C. It also added that eight of Singapore's 10 warmest years have occurred in the current 21st century. However, all the 10 warmest years have been occurring since 1997. Experts believe that this trend hints at a negative impact of ongoing global warming on the country.
Reports said that out of the entire year, January (28.3℃), April (29.4℃) and August (28.9℃) has set new records for being the warmest of each month in Singapore's history. But May and December 2016 were the second warmest May (after May 1998) and December (after December 2015).
Last year, Singapore's weather pattern was significantly influenced by three global climate phenomena, namely El Niño, La Niña and the Indian Ocean Dipole.
