Global warming or just localised heating?

The first two weeks of March 2019 in Singapore will be hot, the Meteorological Service Singapore has announced.

How hot?

The daily maximum temperature can reach as high as 35°C on a few days.

Why?

This is due to "dry conditions and strong solar heating of land areas during the day".

The prevailing dry and stable air mass over Singapore and the surrounding region since mid-February is likely to persist.

When will it rain?

In the second week of March.

Four or five days of short-duration thundery showers can be expected in the afternoon.

Shortfall of rain

Rainfall for the first two weeks of March 2019 is likely to be below normal.

February 2019 is one of the hottest months the last 90 years

February 2019 was the third warmest February in 90 years, based on the mean monthly temperature -- since temperature records began in 1929.

How high?

February 2019 mean temperature: 28.2°C, which is 1.1°C warmer than the long-term average for February.

Previous highs

February 1998 and 2010 mean temperature: 28.9°C

February 2005 mean temperature: 28.5°C

Historical fact

February has traditionally been the driest month in the year.

Singapore and the region are in the dry phase of the northeast monsoon season.

This is normal at this time of the year.

If I'm a nerd, what other info should I know to satisfy my geek brain?

Two other phenomena are contributing to the hot and dry weather recently, according to Channel News Asia.

There has been a weak El Nino condition since October 2018, which has reduced the moisture for rainfall in this region.

There is also an intra-seasonal disturbance, called the Madden-Julian Oscillation, which has entered the dry phase in Southeast Asia.

As a result, there has been a relative lack of deep clouds in the region.

Are other countries suffering as well?

The conditions above have also contributed to hotter weather in Malaysia.

Fires have broken out in southeast Johor on Feb. 25 and 26.

These caused mild hazy conditions in some parts of Singapore, due to the particulate matter from the fires diffused by the monsoon winds.