Have you ever experienced a place where it rains hard and then suddenly it turns sunny? I have. And honestly, I loved every minute of it. The truth is I’ve always had a soft spot for rain. I love the sound, the smell and the way it slows everything down for a moment. But in this place, rain is on a whole other level.
One minute you’re under clear skies, and the next, you’re drenched in a tropical downpour that feels. And just when you think it’s going to last forever, the clouds part and the sun suddenly returns, thereby making life carry on like nothing happened.
That’s the magic of Singapore. And if you’re someone who loves rain like I do, then you are going to love Singapore.
1. It Can Be Sunny and Pouring at the Same Time
This is one of the first things that caught me off guard in Singapore. I was walking near Marina Bay under the scorching sun when suddenly it started to rain – not any ordinary rain but a full-on tropical one. And of course like I said, it came without any warning. This is the kind of thing that makes you stop and look up, confused and smiling at the same time. Singapore rain doesn’t always wait for clouds to gather above you before it starts to fall.
2. It Comes Out of Nowhere
I can’t count how many times I’ve left my hotel thinking, “Looks like a clear day”, only for me to get ambushed 10 minutes later by the rain. That’s just how it is in Singapore. One moment you’re walking confidently with no umbrella, and the next minute you’re soaked head to toe. The sky changes moods fast in Singapore, and when it rains, it doesn’t ease into it. It just starts falling in full blasts. So when you stay in the Lion City for a while, you learn quickly to carry an umbrella everywhere – even if the sky is bright blue.
3. It Rains Almost Every Day
Singapore gets rain over 170 days a year. That’s nearly half the year. But here’s the thing about rainfall here. Rains are usually quick short bursts, heavy and then suddenly they disappear. You’ll get fifteen minutes of thunder and pouring rain, and before you can even finish your coffee, it’s sunny again like it never happened. A friend of mine said that Singapore rain is like it comes in to do its job and leaves without overstaying its welcome.
4. Lightning Capital of the World
Singapore has one of the highest lightning strike rates in the world, and when a storm rolls in, you instantly feel it in your chest. The sky flashes like paparazzi, and the thunder sounds like a stadium collapsing. It’s usually very loud and powerful. To be perfectly honest, I find it a little bit thrilling. If you’re someone who flinches at thunder, you’re in for an experience.
5. It Has a Schedule (Sort of)
Singaporeans will tell you the rain usually follows a kind of rhythm. Mornings can be bright, and then by late morning or early afternoon, without any warnings the rain shows up. This is more common during the monsoon seasons. And of course, like everything else in Singapore weather, it doesn’t always stick to the schedule. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, it rains at midnight or 3 a.m. in order to remind you who’s in charge.
6. It Floods… but Not for Long
With the amount of rain this country gets, you’d expect constant flooding. But Singapore has one of the most efficient drainage systems I’ve ever seen. It’s incredible. That being said, sometimes the roads do flood – especially in low-lying areas. But within minutes, the water is gone thanks to the clever drainage systems scattered all over the country. It’s honestly very impressive witnessing this. The city doesn’t panic whenever these flash floods occur. People just wait it out, knowing that they have a clever system designed to take care of this. And then everything dries up like nothing happened. That to me is beyond impressive.
7. People Don’t Run from the Rain
Back where I come from or in many other countries, the moment it starts to rain, people scramble for cover like it’s a fire drill. But in Singapore, everyone just acts normal as though it isn’t a big deal. People keep walking, open their umbrellas if they have one, or just keep going without. Frequent rainfalls are totally normal here. It is just part of living in SG.
8. Rain Names Are Serious Business
In Singapore, rain isn’t just “rain”. You’ve got all kinds of names like drizzle, showers, thundery showers, and passing showers. There is even one that sounds like a movie title – heavy thundery showers with gusty winds. The weather apps get very specific. And trust me, when you see “thundery showers” pop up, that’s not a light suggestion. This is your cue to head indoors or at least find a good shelter.
Why Does It Rain So Frequently in Singapore?
Singapore gets a lot of rain, and it’s not by accident. The primary reason for this has everything to do with location and climate. The Lion City sits almost right on the equator. And what this means is that it has a tropical rainforest climate. Owing to this, it tends to be hot, humid and wet most of the year.
So this is what basically happens in Singapore. Thanks to the climate, warm air frequently rises quickly and when this humid air goes up, it cools down and forms clouds. Those clouds then transform into rain as simple as that. And in Singapore, this happens fast and very, very often. On top of that, the island is surrounded by warm seas, which feed even more moisture into the air.
Singapore also gets two monsoon seasons:
- The Northeast Monsoon (around November to March)
- The Southwest Monsoon (around June to September)
These seasons bring heavier and more regular rain, especially in the afternoons and early evenings.
