March 21, 2025
SINGAPORE – The incessant rain that has fallen over the last two days has cast a pall over the country, especially in places like the Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) and the beaches of Sentosa.
The monsoon surge, which began on March 19 and is expected to last till March 21, has seen warnings of flash floods and resulted in disruptions to many businesses and outdoor activities.
The mercury dipped to 21.9 deg C in Tuas South at about 10am on March 20.
Over the two days as at 7pm on March 20, Jurong West recorded the highest total amount of rainfall at 318mm. In eastern Singapore, the highest amount of rainfall was 298.4mm. These amounts are more than Singapore’s average monthly rainfall of 209.7mm in March, said PUB, the national water agency.
A 15m stretch along the intersection of Mountbatten Road and Jalan Seaview experienced flooding at about 2pm on March 20 for about two hours. There was also flooding within the premises of a nearby property.
Meanwhile, golf clubs such as SICC, Keppel and Sentosa suspended play or closed their courses over March 19 and 20.
The opening round of a professional golf tournament, the US$2.5 million (S$3.3 million) Porsche Singapore Classic, originally scheduled for March 20, was rained out. Organisers of the DP World Tour event at the Laguna National Golf Resort Club said it would now take place on March 21, with the second round set for March 22.
Over in Sentosa, Ola Beach Club at Siloso Beach – where water sports lovers can paddleboard and kayak – saw only 10 per cent of its usual crowd on the afternoon of March 20, said its staff member, Ms Gwen Tan.
The drop in business at the club, which also has a restaurant and bar, has had a knock-on effect: It has had to stop hiring part-timers to help deal with the crowd.
“The businesses around us have also been badly hit,” said Ms Tan. “Due to the downpour, we have stopped hiring part-timers for the weekdays.”
Sentosa’s Tanjong Beach Club saw only half of its usual crowd, while Rumours Beach Club told The Straits Times that 70 per cent of its reservations were cancelled on March 20.
Some swimming schools, such as Bubbles ’N Splashes Swim School, announced the cancellation of classes.
The downpour also hit the food and beverage sector, with some businesses trying to be creative in drawing in customers.
For instance, Western eatery Southwest@Punggol in New Punggol Road is offering a $20 return voucher for guests who visit when it is raining. The 1,000 vouchers will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Our sales were less than $1,000 yesterday and we usually earn around $2,300 on a regular day. I thought of giving return vouchers to appeal to my customers to return,” said its owner Sean Onn.
The Punggol Waterway during heavy rain on March 20. PHOTO: THE STRAITS TIMES
Travellers were not spared too.
Those travelling along the BKE towards Woodlands Checkpoint on March 20 faced delays because of a fallen tree before the Dairy Farm Road exit.
Bus operator Tower Transit Singapore, in a Facebook post at about 5pm, said that service 966 would be delayed by up to 30 minutes.
A check by ST on March 20 showed that several flights were listed as cancelled, retimed or diverted on the websites of both Changi Airport and Seletar Airport.
Changi Airport’s website showed several rescheduled arrivals for carriers such as Jetstar and Scoot. A TransNusa flight to Jakarta was cancelled, while other departures to cities such as Seoul, Phuket and Jakarta were retimed.
At Seletar Airport, flights operated by Malaysian low-cost airline Firefly were affected.
In a LinkedIn post, aviation services company Sats called for understanding and patience, saying that its Singapore Hub team may “experience some disruptions” at both airports amid the deluge.
“Our staff have been reminded to be extra vigilant as heavy rain may affect visibility,” it said. “Lightning risks may mean that staff cannot work on the tarmac to service aircraft and loading/unloading of bags and cargo may be delayed.
“Drivers must be careful as wet roads increase the risk of skidding, while wet pathways pose slip-and-fall hazards. Our customer service agents are on hand to give passengers and air cargo customers guidance, especially if bad weather delays flights.”
It acknowledged that the delays caused by weather may impact passengers, as well as airline and cargo customers, but said the team is “doing all we can” to provide support during the monsoon surge.
Netizens, meanwhile, have been documenting the weather online, sharing photos of low-hanging clouds swirling around the tops of iconic buildings such as Pinnacle@Duxton and parts of the Central Business District.
The monsoon surge, known for causing widespread and prolonged rain, typically occurs earlier in the north-east monsoon season, between December and January.
Dr Koh Tieh Yong from the World Climate Research Programme said it is unusual for the north-east monsoon to stretch into late March.
This extended season is due to La Nina conditions since February, which result in warmer sea surface temperatures in the region and the persistence of rain, added Dr Koh, who co-chairs the Asian-Australian monsoon working group under the programme.
The Meteorological Service Singapore said in an update at 5pm on March 20 that the surge was weakening, with showers expected to ease overnight.
- Additional reporting by Vihanya Rakshika and Shabana Begum.