It has been raining non-stop on the last day of February 2023 since as early as 9am.

And yes, the rain is still not stopping as we enter the first day of March.

If you are wondering why, you're in luck.

Monsoon surge

While February is typically a dry month, it falls within the period -- the Northeast Monsoon -- when a monsoon surge can happen.

The Northeast Monsoon occurs between December and March.

During a monsoon surge, we will experience gusty winds and heavy rain.

When the cold winds from the northern hemisphere winter blow over towards the South China Sea, it warms and gathers moisture, leading to the formation of dense rain clouds over the equatorial region where Singapore is located at.

The showers can be continuous and prolonged, lasting from two to several days, according to the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).

Temperatures can dip below 22°C and the strong winds can uproot trees and cause damage to structures.

Flash floods may occur when rain is prolonged and heavy.

However, the Northeast Monsoon surges happen more frequently in the first half of the season than in February or March.

Singapore experiences an average of two to four monsoon surges in a year, MSS added.

On Monday, the National Environment Agency sent an alert that a monsoon surge would be happening some time between Feb. 28 and Mar. 1.

Wet weather to persist till Mar. 1

The latest weather assessment by MSS forecast that the monsoon surge will persist till Mar. 1.

Periods of moderate to heavy thundery showers with cool and windy conditions are expected.

The minimum temperatures at some places could dip to around 22°C.

Curious more about monsoon surge? You can watch this video.

Top images by Zheng Zhangxin.