July Breaks Records, December Sees Warmest Temperatures Ever Recorded

July Breaks Records, December Sees Warmest Temperatures on Record

July 2024 etched its name in history as the second warmest month ever recorded, surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by 0.2 degrees Celsius. The average temperature for the month reached a staggering 29.3 degrees Celsius, a full 1.1 degrees above the long-term average. Even nights offered little respite, with the average minimum temperature hitting 27.1 degrees Celsius, breaking the previous record of 26.9 degrees set in 2019.

The year's heat wave extended beyond July, with December also claiming the title of warmest December on record. The average temperature for the month reached 27.7 degrees Celsius, tying with 2015 and 2021 for the top spot. December even managed to break its own daily maximum temperature record on December 7th, reaching a scorching 35.6 degrees Celsius at the Changi climate station. This surpassed the previous record of 33.9 degrees set in 2021 by a significant 1.7 degrees.

The highest temperature recorded anywhere in Singapore during December was 36.2 degrees Celsius at Paya Lebar, further solidifying the month's claim to the hottest December title.

The sweltering conditions throughout the year resulted in 21 days of high heat stress, with the majority of these occurring during the months of March, April, and May. The highest 15-minute average Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) reached a concerning 34.4 degrees Celsius, recorded at both Bishan Stadium on March 7th and Bedok Stadium on May 28th.

WBGT serves as a crucial indicator of heat stress, taking into account factors like air temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. A day is classified as experiencing high heat stress when any hourly-average WBGT at a station reaches or surpasses 33 degrees Celsius. The combination of high temperatures and other contributing factors like humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation significantly increases the likelihood of heat stress occurrences.