Singapore Regions Ranked From Hottest To Coolest
The constant humidity in Singapore is a common gripe for all residents, but some may argue that their areas feel the heat more than others.
As a writer currently typing this with the fan in my room on full blast, I decided to do something to settle this debate once and for all.
Consolidating numbers from the Meteorological Services of Singapore (MSS) website, my team and I compared the average temperatures for 4 districts over the past year.
This is not a 100% accurate ranking. But for those of you deciding where to BTO or want bragging rights as to which district is literally the coolest, this one’s for you.
Disclaimer: Although there are abundant sources that compare temperatures in the East and West, this isn’t the case for the North and Central regions.
Hence, we’ve taken the liberty of compiling the daily mean temperature data on MSS’ website to understand better which side is warmer between the North and Central regions.
Hottest – Eastern region
We all know that the Sun rises in the East, but it looks like it shines the brightest there too.
Using data from 4 climate stations, the East has an average temperature of 29.97°C, edging out the South by 0.01°C. Here’s a breakdown of the numbers:
- Changi – 27.8°C
- East Coast Parkway – 27.9°C
- Paya Lebar – 28.0°C
- Tai Seng – 28.1°C
This is partly due to the relatively low rainfall, which has to do with the rain shadow effect—a term familiar to those who studied Geography in school.
In short, the West has a hillier terrain, which increases the chances of rain. With all the precipitation ‘dumped’ over the West, the East gets left with drier and warmer air.
The chart below captures rainfall from 1981 to 2010. The dark blue patches representing high rainfall are skewed towards the West.
Meanwhile, the East is coloured in lighter hues of blue, which means less rainfall.
Having our nature reserves where wildlife and plants thrive mostly located in the West and North affects the climate too.
When natural land cover is replaced by urban surfaces like buildings and roads that trap heat, the area’s temperatures increase accordingly.
Coincidentally, the East has belts of completely urbanised areas, with no “big stretches of vegetation”, reports Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
In contrast, the West has many green pockets such as reservoirs and agricultural areas.
According to a study cited by CNA, temperatures between urban and less built-up areas in Singapore can vary by up to a whopping 7°C.
2nd hottest – Central region
The Central region of Singapore comprises a good mix of urban development like the Central Business District and natural destinations such as the Botanic Gardens, Southern Ridges, Hort Park, and Sentosa.
Though one might expect the gush of coastal breeze from the South to keep temperatures low, apparently, that’s not the case.
According to MSS, the Central region recorded a daily mean temperature of 28°C in the past year.
Here’s a look at the daily temperature on average in 4 prominent areas:
- Marina Barrage – 28.3°C
- Newton – 27.5°C
- Pasir Panjang – 27.5°C
- Sentosa Island – 27.9°C
Since skyscrapers populate the Central region, you can imagine how warm it gets as the glass surfaces take in heat and reflect sunlight.
Thanks to the superstructures in this area, our touristy visits to attractions like MBS or the Esplanade tend to entail lots of perspiration and fanning ourselves to cool down.
3rd hottest – Western region
Easties are always proud to proclaim that their side of the island is where greener pastures are. Hence, the iconic phrase, “East side best side”.
But hey, Westies will be happy to find out that their side is the cooler side—confirm plus chop.
The region generally records more rainfall than the East. Hence, they come in 3rd on our list.
The temperature stations at Choa Chu Kang (South), Clementi, Jurong West, Jurong Island, and Tuas South gave us a total daily mean temperature of 29.96°C. Here’s the breakdown:
- Choa Chu Kang (South) – 27.5°C
- Clementi – 27.5°C.
- Jurong West – 27.2°C
- Jurong Island – 28.2°C
- Tuas South – 28.0°C
Coolest – Northern region
We’ve always believed that the West side is the coolest side in Singapore because of the constant East-West comparisons.
But little did we know that folks up in the North have the last laugh because their region is the one holding this unofficial title.
Referencing temperatures recorded from the climate stations at Ang Mo Kio, Admiralty, and Khatib, we found that their total average daily temperature is 27.6°C.
- Ang Mo Kio – 27.4°C
- Admiralty – 27.4°C
- Khatib – 27.8°C
It shouldn’t be surprising, considering how the North is home to sprawling green spaces, untouched forests, and farmlands. These are all considered rare gems in the face of the country’s burgeoning population.
The North is also where the Central Water Catchment area and Singapore Zoo are at.
Geneco Power Eco Add-on for eco-conscious folks
Once again, these rankings are unofficial and are based on information available on the MSS website.
But no matter where we are in Singapore, we must admit that the occasional heat leaves us with no choice but to turn on the aircon or fan on full blast.
Instead of feeling guilty about our carbon footprint while seeking respite from the heat, we can find ways to balance it out by saving the environment.
Geneco lets us do just that with its Power Eco Add-on, Singapore’s first and only customisable green add-on for an electricity plan.
In 3 simple steps, you can choose your preferred plan duration, type of add-on, and level of green contribution.
This would only cost you a minimum of 40 cents more per month, and you can help reduce up to 3,920kg of carbon dioxide — equivalent to the annual absorption by 192 rain trees.
To learn more about environmentally friendly electricity plans, check out Geneco’s website here.
With any green add-on to Geneco’s most popular 2-year plan, Get It Fixed 24, you will receive a complimentary Geneco Green Starter Kit that’s worth $40.
This handy kit comes with an array of eco-friendly items, such as:
- Sprout™ Plantable Pencil
- Foldable and Recyclable Umbrella
- Collapsible Silicone Water Bottle
- Foldable Silicone Straw
- Reusable Grocery Net Bag
Keeping cool & caring for the environment can go hand in hand
Singapore’s weather can be hot and unbearable at times. On such days, turning on the air conditioner is almost an essential part of our daily routine.
Though this habit may make you feel bad about contributing to global warming, we may adopt a more eco-conscious mindset by practising green habits.
And apart from using recyclable materials and reducing single-use plastics, you can opt for a green energy plan.
One that allows you to customise the level of ‘greenness’ means you’ll get to pay for electricity according to your household needs while reducing your carbon footprint.
This article was brought to you in collaboration with Geneco.
Featured image adapted from TheSmartLocal, Bryan Low on Unsplash, Mike Enerio on Unsplash & Yamin Ohmar on Unsplash.
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