Isaac 
Singapore’s weather does not follow a simple pattern. There is no real dry season — even the driest month, February, averages 160mm of rainfall. Sudden thunderstorms can form and hit within 20 minutes of a clear sky, and the east of the island (Changi, Tampines, Pasir Ris) regularly receives less rain than the west (Jurong, Bukit Timah, Bukit Panjang) on the same afternoon. Knowing the Singapore weather before you head out is not optional — it is practical.
The problem is that not all weather sources are equally reliable or equally useful for Singapore’s specific conditions. A global weather app tuned for temperate climates handles equatorial convective weather poorly. The five sources below are the ones that actually work for Singapore — selected based on data quality, Singapore-specific features, and what each one does better than the others.
Singapore Weather Basics
| Season / Period | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast Monsoon (wet) | Nov – Jan | Rainiest stretch; prolonged rain, Sumatra squalls arrive from the west, temperatures slightly cooler at 26–30°C |
| Northeast Monsoon (dry phase) | Feb – Mar | Drier but not dry; humidity remains high; February is the lowest-rainfall month (~160mm) |
| First Inter-monsoon | Apr – May | Variable winds; intense afternoon thunderstorms; often the hottest period of the year |
| Southwest Monsoon | Jun – Sep | Drier than northeast monsoon but Sumatra squalls continue; haze risk from regional fires |
| Second Inter-monsoon | Oct – Nov | Similar to April–May; peak lightning activity; October is typically Singapore’s most oppressive month |
Annual rainfall: approximately 2,113mm across roughly 167 rainy days per year. For comparison, London averages 600mm annually. Singapore’s rain falls harder and more suddenly.
1. weather.gov.sg + myENV — The Official Source
The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) — an operations division under the National Environment Agency — runs weather.gov.sg and the companion myENV app. Everything published here originates from Singapore’s own network of nearly 100 automated weather stations, 5 staffed observation stations, and an upper-air observatory. No other platform in this list generates Singapore weather data from scratch; they all use model outputs or third-party feeds. MSS is the primary data source.
What weather.gov.sg covers
- 2-hour nowcast — updated every 30 minutes; regional breakdown of Singapore (North, South, East, West, Central)
- 24-hour forecast — splits day into morning / afternoon / night; includes temperature range, humidity, wind, and rain probability by region
- 4-day forecast — extended outlook updated twice daily
- Rain radar (50km) — updated every 5 minutes; the most granular real-time precipitation view available for Singapore
- Regional radar (480km) — tracks monsoon bands and Sumatra squalls approaching from the west — the best early warning for incoming squalls
- UV Index — updated hourly, 7am–7pm
- PSI and PM2.5 — 1-hour and 24-hour air quality readings
- Tidal data — sourced from MPA’s 13 tide gauges; monthly astronomical and tidal tables
myENV app features
- Push notifications for heavy rain events, flash floods, and Sumatra squall warnings
- Lightning map overlay showing recent strike locations
- UV Index and heat stress alerts
- Haze advisories and dengue cluster maps (same app)
- Drain water level monitoring — useful during heavy rain events
- Available on iOS and Android
Why it matters: During Singapore’s second inter-monsoon (October–November), lightning activity peaks. MSS’s lightning map shows real-time strikes — something no commercial weather app replicates with Singapore-specific data. The 5-minute radar update cycle is faster than most commercial apps.
Honest limitation: The interface is functional but dated. The app has no minute-by-minute rain arrival prediction — AccuWeather’s MinuteCast (covered below) fills that gap. Forecasts also treat Singapore as five broad regions, which is adequate but not hyperlocal.
- Website: weather.gov.sg
- myENV iOS: Download on App Store
- myENV Android: Download on Google Play
2. MSS Climate Research — weather.gov.sg + ccrs.weather.gov.sg
The same MSS that runs daily forecasts also operates the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS) — the scientific arm responsible for long-range outlooks, seasonal forecasts, and historical climate records. While weather.gov.sg serves daily users, CCRS’s outputs are essential for anyone planning around longer weather windows: event planners, travellers booking months ahead, businesses with weather-sensitive operations.
What the MSS research arm publishes
- Seasonal rainfall outlooks — monthly forecasts updated by CCRS, available at ccrs.weather.gov.sg. Shows whether the coming 1–3 months are expected to be wetter or drier than normal
- ENSO advisories — El Niño / La Niña updates affecting Singapore’s rainfall and temperature. In May 2026, MSS confirmed El Niño conditions developing with >80% probability, combined with a positive Indian Ocean Dipole — projecting hotter, drier conditions and elevated haze risk through October 2026
- Annual climate assessment — published each January; documents temperature records, rainfall anomalies, and extreme events from the prior year
- Historical data — long-term records from the 1800s; temperature and rainfall monthly data available to download
- Open API via data.gov.sg — MSS publishes 2-hour forecasts, 24-hour forecasts, 4-day forecasts, 1-minute rainfall station readings, UV index, and PSI free via the government open data portal — the same data that third-party apps like Check Weather SG use
Practical use cases
- Planning a National Day party in August? Check the seasonal outlook — Southwest Monsoon conditions and whether this year’s pattern skews dry or wet
- Booking an outdoor wedding in May? Historical data shows May averages 150–170mm of rain — the inter-monsoon afternoon storm pattern is predictable
- Haze planning — MSS ENSO advisories give the earliest warning of whether a coming dry season increases regional fire risk from Sumatra and Borneo
- Research and journalism — annual climate assessment reports are authoritative primary sources for Singapore climate stories
Honest limitation: These are not tools for checking whether to bring an umbrella today. They are planning tools. The daily use interface on weather.gov.sg is the same for both MSS roles — navigation between the daily weather portal and the climate research sections requires knowing where to look.
- Climate research: ccrs.weather.gov.sg
- Seasonal outlook: ccrs.weather.gov.sg/seasonal-outlook
- Open data API: data.gov.sg (search “weather”)
3. AccuWeather — Best for Rain Timing
AccuWeather’s single most useful feature for Singapore users is MinuteCast: a minute-by-minute precipitation forecast for the next two hours at your exact GPS location. It tells you not just “rain this afternoon” but “rain arriving in 23 minutes, lasting approximately 41 minutes.” In Singapore, where convective storms form, hit hard, and move on within 30–60 minutes, knowing when rain will arrive — to the nearest 5 minutes — changes how you plan your day.
The second relevant feature is RealFeel temperature. Singapore’s standard thermometer reading is typically 31–33°C, but the actual felt temperature factors in humidity (usually 80–90%), UV intensity, and wind. AccuWeather’s RealFeel regularly shows 40–45°C for Singapore — a more honest representation of the outdoor experience than the bare temperature. RealFeel Shade (a separate reading for shaded areas) is also shown, which is useful for outdoor dining and park planning.
What AccuWeather does well for Singapore
- MinuteCast — 120-minute precipitation forecast with start/stop timing; no NEA equivalent
- RealFeel temperature — accounts for Singapore’s humidity; consistently higher than bare temperature reading
- Hourly breakdown — up to 15 days of hour-by-hour forecasts including wind, humidity, UV, and air quality predictions
- Air quality by hour — predictive AQI breakdown by hour, useful during haze periods
Honest limitations for Singapore
- Treats Singapore as a single point — does not account for the east-west rainfall gradient. A MinuteCast for “Singapore” is centred on the city area, not your specific neighbourhood in Tampines or Jurong
- Forecast accuracy beyond 5–7 days is unreliable for Singapore’s convective climate — this applies to all platforms, not just AccuWeather
- Free tier has significant ad load; some users report excessive notification push
- Derives Singapore forecasts from NWP models, not from direct observation — MSS’s own data is more authoritative for ground truth
- Website: accuweather.com — Singapore
- MinuteCast direct link: AccuWeather MinuteCast Singapore
- iOS: Download on App Store
- Android: Available on Google Play (search “AccuWeather”)
4. Weather Underground — Best for Hyperlocal Station Data
Weather Underground operates a global network of over 250,000 personal weather stations (PWS) — weather instruments installed by hobbyists and enthusiasts who share real-time data. The platform shows actual readings from the nearest station to your location, not a forecast interpolated from a model. For Singapore, where the east-west microclimate difference means Changi and Jurong can have measurably different rainfall and wind on the same afternoon, a nearby PWS reading is the most accurate ground-level data available outside MSS’s own station network.
The WunderMap is the most practically useful view: an interactive map that overlays radar, satellite, and individual PWS readings. You can see at a glance which stations are currently reporting rain, which are dry, and how a squall is moving across the island — at neighbourhood-level granularity.
What Weather Underground does well
- WunderMap — interactive overlay of real station readings on a map; see which parts of Singapore are currently raining vs. dry
- Historical daily data — searchable station-by-station records; useful for checking what conditions were like on a specific date
- PWS readings — actual temperature, humidity, wind, and rainfall from nearby private stations; more granular than a centrally-interpolated forecast
- Free extended hourly — up to 15-day hourly breakdown including dew point, wind direction, and pressure
Honest limitations
- Singapore PWS coverage is uneven — some areas of the island, particularly the north and industrial zones, have limited or no nearby stations
- Private station quality varies; some hobbyist setups are poorly calibrated and produce unreliable readings
- The platform is US-centric in design; Singapore-specific features (e.g. PSI, haze alerts) are absent
- Some historical data gaps exist for Singapore stations where equipment was offline or replaced
- Website (Singapore): wunderground.com/weather/sg/singapore
- WunderMap (Singapore view): Interactive map
- iOS: Download on App Store
- Android: Download on Google Play
5. Check Weather SG — Best Independent App Built on Official Data
Check Weather SG (checkweather.sg) is an independent, open-source weather app built by Singapore developer @cheeaun using the same data.gov.sg APIs that MSS publishes. It does not generate its own forecasts; it takes official NEA station readings and presents them through a cleaner, map-first interface that the official myENV app does not offer. The result is a tool that shows actual temperature, humidity, and rainfall readings from multiple stations across the island simultaneously — not a single interpolated figure for “Singapore.”
The key practical difference: when you open Check Weather SG, you see a map of Singapore with coloured dots showing current rainfall intensity at each NEA station location. You can tell at a glance whether it is raining in Tampines, Clementi, Woodlands, and Jurong — simultaneously, from ground-truth readings, updated in near real-time. The 5-minute radar animation is also layered on the same map. No official app currently presents this information as clearly.
What Check Weather SG does well
- Multi-station map view — actual readings from NEA stations across the island shown simultaneously on a map
- Rain intensity visualization — animated radar with 5-minute updates layered on the station map
- Heat stress warnings — based on WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) relevant to Singapore’s outdoor work and exercise conditions
- Wind direction indicators — shows current surface wind across the island
- Telegram alerts via @checkweathersg — automated messages when significant rain radar coverage builds
- iOS app available; web-based experience works on Android browsers
Honest limitations
- Third-party app — no government backing; depends on continued developer maintenance and data.gov.sg API availability
- No extended forecast — shows current conditions and 2-hour nowcast only; no 4-day or hourly breakdown
- No dedicated Android app; Android users access via browser
- Telegram alert format is niche — not everyone uses Telegram for push notifications
- No PSI or air quality data integrated
- Website: checkweather.sg
- iOS app: Download on App Store
- Telegram: @checkweathersg
Which One Should You Use?
| Situation | Best tool |
|---|---|
| Daily commute — will it rain on my way home? | myENV (2-hour nowcast, region-specific) or AccuWeather MinuteCast (exact timing) |
| Squall alert — is that dark cloud heading my way? | weather.gov.sg 50km radar (5-min updates) or Check Weather SG map |
| Outdoor event in 2 weeks — what is the seasonal pattern? | MSS at ccrs.weather.gov.sg (seasonal outlook) + weather.gov.sg 4-day as the date approaches |
| Current UV and haze — safe to exercise outdoors? | myENV (UV Index + PSI in one app) |
| Exact rain timing for the next 2 hours | AccuWeather MinuteCast |
| Is it currently raining in Tampines but not Jurong? | Check Weather SG (multi-station map) or WunderMap |
| Historical — what was the weather like last November? | Weather Underground historical records or MSS historical data |
| Planning around El Niño — haze risk this year? | MSS ENSO outlook at ccrs.weather.gov.sg |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most accurate weather app for Singapore?
For daily Singapore weather, myENV (weather.gov.sg) is the most accurate because MSS generates its own data from Singapore’s ground observation network — other apps derive Singapore forecasts from global models. For rain timing specifically, AccuWeather MinuteCast outperforms NEA because it gives a minute-by-minute arrival prediction for the next 2 hours. For a full picture, use both: myENV for the official forecast and radar, AccuWeather for rain arrival timing.
Why does Singapore weather change so suddenly?
Singapore sits near the equator in a maritime environment — the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) brings intense convective activity throughout the year. Afternoon heat causes rapid air uplift, which generates cumulus clouds that can develop into thunderstorms within 30–60 minutes. Sumatra squalls — organised lines of storms originating over Sumatra and the Malacca Strait — can cross Singapore in under an hour with wind gusts of 40–80 km/h. MSS’s 480km regional radar is the best tool for tracking these from the west.
What is the difference between Singapore PSI and PM2.5?
Both are air quality measures published by NEA. PM2.5 is a direct measurement of fine particulate matter (particles smaller than 2.5 micrometres) and is updated hourly; it is the most relevant measure for health impact during haze events. PSI (Pollutant Standards Index) is a composite index covering PM2.5, PM10, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide over a 24-hour period. During a haze episode, follow the 1-hour PM2.5 reading for current conditions and the 24-hour PSI for a sustained exposure assessment. Both are available in the myENV app.
Is the west of Singapore rainier than the east?
Yes. Singapore has a documented east-west rainfall gradient: the central and western parts of the island (Bukit Timah, Jurong, Bukit Panjang) consistently receive more annual rainfall than the eastern coast (Changi, Tampines, Pasir Ris). MSS’s own data confirms this geographic variation. Changi Airport’s weather readings — often used as “Singapore weather” in international reports — actually represent one of the drier parts of the island. Check Weather SG’s multi-station map makes this gradient visible in real time.
What does the 2-hour nowcast on weather.gov.sg mean?
The 2-hour nowcast is a forecast for the next two hours, broken down by geographic region of Singapore (North, South, East, West, Central, and further subdivisions). It is updated every 30 minutes by MSS meteorologists. It shows expected weather conditions — Sun, Cloudy, Showers, Thundery Showers, etc. — for each region. It is the most Singapore-specific short-range forecast available and is more reliable than commercial apps for the immediate 0–2 hour window because it is based on live radar interpretation by Singapore-based forecasters, not an automated model output.
