The climate in Singapore is equatorial, ie hot, humid, and rainy throughout the year. The country, which is at the same time an island, a city, and a state, is actually at the Equator, in an area where there are always the conditions for the formation of showers and thunderstorms.
Although the climate is fairly uniform, there are some variations in the course of the year due to the two monsoons: the north-east monsoon, which occurs from November to early March and is rainier, especially in the first part, and the south-west monsoon, which occurs from June to September. The first period between the two monsoons, from March to early June, is the hottest and the most unpleasant of the year.
Temperatures in Singapore are quite uniform since they only vary by a few degrees between the coolest and the warmest months. The minimum temperature ranges from 23 °C (73 °F) in December and January to 25 °C (77 °F) in May and June, while the maximum ranges from 30 °C (86 °F) in December and January to 32 °C (90 °F) in April and May.
Here are the average temperatures.
Average Temperatures and Rainfall
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Min (°C) | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
| Max (°C) | 30 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 29 |
| Min (°F) | 73 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 77 | 77 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 73 |
| Max (°F) | 86 | 88 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 86 |
Even the records are close to the averages: at night, the temperature almost never drops to 20 °C (68 °F), while during the day, it rarely rises above 33/34 °C (91/93 °F). However, the weather is constantly hot and muggy, in fact, relative humidity doesn’t usually go below 70% even in the warmest hours. If you add to this the urban heat island effect, which is typical of big cities, a phenomenon whereby the heat remains trapped between streets and buildings even at night, you will understand how the climate of Singapore is not pleasant for those who are not used to it. Sea breezes can relieve a little the heat in the harbour area and in the neighbourhoods along the coast, while apart from the breezes, there can be some wind only in January, February and March, ie in the second part of the northeast monsoon. For the rest, heat and flat calm dominate, at least within the city. Fortunately, buildings and means of transportation are equipped with air conditioning.
Rainfall
Throughout the year, about 2,400 millimeters (94.5 inches) of rainfall, with a peak of around 250 mm (10 in) per month in November, December, and January, while in the rest of the year, from 150 to 200 mm (6 to 8 in) fall per month, so there is no month without abundant rainfall. Here is the average precipitation.
Sunshine
The amount of sunshine is not very good since there is an average of 5 or 6 hours of sunshine per day for most of the year. The least sunny months are November and December, with 4 hours of sunshine per day, while February is the sunniest, with 6,5 hours. We remind that the day at the Equator lasts 12 hours throughout the year. However, the equatorial sun is very strong, so you have to be careful even on cloudy days. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.
Best Time
Although there is no big difference between the periods, the best month to visit Singapore is probably February: it is the sunniest, and there are “only” 12 days with rain on average. November and December are among the cooler months, but they are also the wettest: it rains almost every day, and sometimes, the rain lasts more than in the other seasons. January and February, in the second part of the “winter” monsoon, are less rainy, and in any case, they are not as muggy as March, April and May, also because they are the only months when there is a bit of wind. After the hot period from March to early June, July and August are also fine, if you can only go in this period: all in all, the difference with January and February is small.
What to pack
All year round: bring tropics-friendly, loose-fitting clothing, a scarf for the breeze, a light sweatshirt and pashmina for airconditioned places, and a light raincoat or umbrella.
When going to the reef, you can bring snorkeling equipment, including water shoes or rubber-soled shoes.
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