Land, Sea and Weather: Nature's Gift to Singapore
For many Singapore residents and visitors alike, the heat, humidity, and heavy downpours appear consistent and relentless–random and frequent bouts of intense weather. When it rains, it really rains hard, and yet it remains hot, cooling noticeably in the hours after the downpour dissipates. Sometimes, it seems to be simultaneously raining and sunny! Having spent my childhood in the dreary north of England’s cold drizzle, I know a little bit about rain, but in Singapore, the rain is astonishing in its often damaging power and volume. A tropical storm, including the frequent Sumatra squalls that scurry across the Straits of Malacca, hit Singapore like a sledgehammer. It is an amazing spectacle. It is a genuinely awesome demonstration of nature’s raw power. Despite billions the dollars spent by Singapore on canals and drainage systems, Singaporeans regularly receive SMS notifications about the dangers posed by flash floods, falling trees, and other weather-related mayhem. Washe...