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Has anybody feel that yesterday(Mon 8-Dec-2008) was indeed very cold? From my flat i have to wear sweater in the morning, i am jsut wondering whether it was below the official announced 24 deg C, anyone felt the same?

Geography is what most people understand to be the study of where countries are. That's why not knowing where a country is on a map will result in your friends saying, "Never study geography ah?" Of course, geography is deeper and more complex than just finding countries and cities on a map. It also involves studying a country's features such as mountains, lakes and rivers, and most importantly, peoples. We won't dive into all this. Instead, we'll get into how Singapore's geography determines its climate and how this in turn influences our lifestyle. Photo: Maarten Duineveld, Unsplash Swedish observation Singapore sits just above the equator, so you might say that our two most abundant resources are the sun and its heat. Anyway, during a work trip to Sweden some years ago, a fellow journalist and I noticed many locals doing a variety of outdoor sports. From cycling to running to tennis, it seemed like everyone had an active lifestyle. "It must be the weather. The climate is so cool that even I want to pick up a tennis racquet!" he remarked. As we drove along, I remembered my geography classes in school. How citizens of a country live - this is very much influenced by its climate. Obviously, Sweden is way up in the northern hemisphere and gets plenty of snow in the winter, which explains why it's a cold country. Indeed, it was cold for the first week of October, which was when the trip took place. I recall temperatures only reaching 12 degrees during the day, dropping to around 4 degrees Celsius at night. Walking, running and cycling would certainly feel shiok in this weather. The weather lately feels desert-like. Photo: Giorgio Parravicini, Unsplash Meanwhile, in the sweltering tropics... It's only going to get hotter in Singapore. Numerous temperature and UV warnings have been issued, and the wet and cool weather we enjoyed for a prolonged period last year has long departed. We can only hope it will visit again. Life doesn't stop just because it's hot. However, it also makes exercising outdoors - and being active in general - unappealing. Combined with high humidity, it's not uncommon to hear people complain that they're already sweating after walking to the bus stop below their block. If you're from a temperate country and have never been to the tropics, you probably think I'm exaggerating. Well, come to our corner of the world and feel for yourself. So, hot weather prevents us from exercising? Of course not. Many of us are quite outdoorsy and don't even mind getting tanned (but please apply sunscreen to mitigate skin damage). But the heat tends to make us lazy. Cooler weather makes commuting more comfortable, like these folks in Tokyo. Photo: Redd F, Unsplash Nobody wants to sweat while walking 10 minutes from the office to the hawker centre. So, we'll either drive there or get a private-hire ride. Nobody enjoys sweaty commutes requiring one to walk while transferring from air-conditioned buses and trains. Yes, yes, I know. First World problems. I think this 'problem' though, is one factor that prevents us from becoming fitter. Those of us who've holidayed in Tokyo during spring or fall know that you can easily clock 20,000 steps a day when you're there, probably without breaking a sweat. It must be why everyone there looks so slim. Cooler climes make it more comfortable to do such things. Tampines MRT station is less than 2km from my house, but if I started walking to it at 9am, I hope shower facilities appear in the office by the time I arrive. With cooler weather, more people would walk and cycle as well, since the impact to one's hygiene will be minimal. If commuting becomes pleasant, we might even drive less, thereby lowering emissions and our vehicle's running costs. Photo: Peijia Lee, Unsplash Will it really improve health? The optimistic answer to this is yes, cooler weather will make us more active and therefore, fitter. According to this HealthHub article, the crude prevalence of obesity among residents aged 18-74 years old is 10.5%. This is based on a 2019/2020 National Population Health Survey. But it's too simplistic to conclude that cooler weather will change lifestyle and health trends. Does everyone become healthier/fitter during the cooler and wetter periods? Based on casual observations and conversations, we actually end up eating and drinking more when the weather is cool. Mala hotpot, already a firm favourite, becomes even more irresistible then. Whisky seems 'less heaty' as well. In general, we tend to get hungrier and thirstier the colder we feel. It's all in the mind We can't change our geography, so we can only surmise that if we had a more temperate climate, we'd be more active. I don't think we need single-digit temperatures, but if our weather ranged between 15-20 degrees Celsius on average and humidity also averaged 60% instead of over 90%, a lot would change. Training in hot weather can help improve your cardiovascular fitness. Photo: Karsten Winegeart, Unsplash But would it make us fitter? That might be wishful thinking. Beyond lifestyle and dining habits, mindsets are the most difficult to change. Someone who only insists on high-cholesterol, high-sodium and sugar-heavy foods for every meal is unlikely to change their mind, no matter the weather, or impact to his or her health. I mention food because nutrition makes up a big part of the fitness equation. While exercising regularly (even with poor dietary habits) is better than not exercising at all, we all know that the key to better health is diet + exercise. That's never been a secret. To me, that means healthier choices from Mondays to Fridays, but indulging a bit on weekends. Being more willing to sweat it out will help as well. Instead of taking cover from the heat, I've learned (or convinced myself) to use it to improve my fitness. Hot weather is here to stay. It's our geography and we must do what humans do best: Adapt and thrive. - Jeremy

I am wondering whether there are heavy duty curtains which can prevent rain and elements getting into the balcony where my washing machine resides? My balcony is only 1 meter deep so any rain would get it wet. At times when it rains badly I have to cover up the power outlet also for safety because curtain flies around.

Came across news that The Weather Channel debuted its new, mixed reality capabilities by showing what a tornado could do if it hit the studio. The demonstration has used mixed reality (MR), which is similar to augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in that it creates virtual objects and then overlays them into the real world, but goes a step further and allows users to interact with them. Through MR the channel creates an incredibly realistic simulation of a tornado hitting the studio, with yellow ‘pop-ups’ appearing with facts and safety advice. For example, after a powerline crashes into the frame, Cantore tells viewers to stay at least 40 feet away from any live wires, saying that where he was standing would be too close to the pole if it was real. The ‘Tornado Hits The Weather Channel’ video ends with the anchor walking through the destruction after the studio is totally ripped apart. With sirens wailing, flickering video connection and sparks appearing to emerge from live wires, the entire experience - apart from Cantore himself - was meticulously created by the channel in partnership with The Future Group and powered by Frontier and Unreal Engine. The Weather Channel reckons the broadcast will “ignite a revolution of weather presentation” as part of a new era of real-time immersive storytelling. I personally find the safety advice extremely useful, as it give the viewer a clearer view of the potential hazards and associating risks in the real life situation, which shall have a more lasting effects in the viewers mind. Upon visiting this channel on youtube, found that they actually have several useful video, using similar VR technology, to remind drivers of the hazards of driving through different weather conditions. (and that is why this thread appears under the "General Car Discussion" section. And it is amazing that they actually started using VR technology some 3 years back... Can't wait for our MediaCorp to do the same for our otherwise boring news reporting and weather forecast. Imagine how it will look like to report ponding, hail storm, earthquake, etc. Our TP may also do the same to some of their educational video, to demonstrate, for example, the effect of road hogging and tailgating...

you bloody busy with changing car because of a flat tyre, where got time. that one cfm is young and impulse, but must also have hit some nerves along the way lah, otherwise why are ppl so sensitive.

Singapore Sees Flash Floods In Numerous Areas On 30 Apr Due To Torrential Rain source: https://mustsharenews.com/flash-floods-singapore/ Flash Floods Hit Singapore In Tampines & Serangoon North Singaporeans across the island saw heavy rain descending on Thursday (30 Apr) afternoon. Stormy weather involving loud & frequent cracks of thunder and streaks of lightning lit up dark cloudy skies across Central, West and East areas in Singapore. While many of us at home enjoyed the cooler weather, others felt first-hand the devastating effects of such a downpour. PUB issues urgent flash flood notices Numerous parts of Singapore reportedly saw flash floods as a result of the rain. PUB, the nation’s water agency even issued 3 flash flood notices within a short span of 30 minutes. According to PUB notices, most of the flash floods occurred in the Eastern region of Singapore at these 3 locations: Jalan Teliti Tampines Road (Near Hougang Ave 1) Upper Paya Lebar Road Flash floods at Serangoon North washed away road barriers Serangoon North also experienced its fair share of ‘flash floods’ at around 3pm this afternoon. Captured via an MS News reader’s Insta-stories, she described that it was “raining massively” at her house. The resident of this HDB apartment complex also described watching “barriers from roadworks” under her flat get “washed away” due to accumulated water from the rain. Joo Seng HDB carpark affected by ‘ponding’ In a video uploaded by All Singapore Stuff, ‘ponding’ seems to have occurred at a HDB area in Joo Seng as well. We can observe that the heavy rainfall caused the entire HDB parking lot to fill up with murky water, as a lone taxi tries to exit the premises. Ponding should have subsided by now With May’s weather forecast predicting more frequent thunderstorms, we can expect future occurrences of flash floods. Thankfully, PUB has confirmed most of the ponding locations mentioned in their alerts have subsided at the time of writing. However, since most of us are staying home during the month of May – with extended Circuit Breaker measures still in place – we hope that the effects will be minimal on our daily lives.

If this holds true, this climate change will inevitably effect everyone, not just for those whose daily activities that depend on the weather condition. With the average maximum daily temperature predicted to reach 34.9 to 36.7 deg C from current 31.8 deg C, this will means more demand for powering air conditioners, higher health risk, longer dry spells, increased bush fires and yes, the chocking smog/haze/smoke from the resulting burning. This will drive people indoor for longer period and increase water usage, exacerbating the situation by reducing our adaptability in a hotter and dryer Garden City. http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/unusually-warm-weather-may-become-norm-singapore

Come to think of it, I often hear people say conti car not suitable for SG climate. That's why got engine problem, breakdown,etc. And they will say better to get sushi/kimchi car instead.... But Japan has 4 seasons, and so does Korea.... just like those conti cars from Europe..... So there is no basis at all to this claim? Or must buy those Made-In-Thailand Toyotas then can tahan SG climate?

Recently saw more and more road users turning on foglights for no reason. Very blinding. Especially those hu change them to those super bright ones. Any bros have similar experiences.

Just a suggestion for peace of mind. As higher temperatures are expected, one may wish to consider to do their normal 10k servicing sooner by maybe 1k km. I would think this would especially apply to major servicing as the coolant is near the end of its useful life and the hot weather is so unkind. Same goes for ATF change as well. Prevention is better than cure.

Remember as a kid when you yearned for those crazy Hot Wheels cars that changed color when you dunked them in hot and cold water? It was about as much fun as you could have, short of striking first in a game of roshambo. It's the kind of fun you just can't have as an adult. Fortunately, a small UK body shop called Auto Kandy claims to have created a solution for those still dreaming of multi-colored Mustangs: Paint your car in thermochromic paint, and have yourself a full-size Hot Wheels color shifter. As the video below documents, the car used to showcase the wacky paintwork is an orange Nissan Skyline R33. By pouring cold water on the car, the paint transforms from orange to deep purple. While lacking smoke, the heat-sensitive paint adjusts its coloring via pigments, changing color as the temperature swings. The whole process costs just $320, but it will only last four to six months, due to excessive damage from UV light exposure. It begs the question: What's the point? After all, it looks as if the car's been vandalized by a giant flock of pigeons that feed only on purple Skittles. And how bored must you be to pour cold water on your car, only for it to change back minutes later as the temperature normalizes? Personally, I'd rather the ChromaFlair colorings used on cars like the TVR Tuscan. That way, I wouldn't look as if I'd bumped into Barney after an all-night bender. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT6raekYHG4&feature=player_embedded

from Yahoo: 987 FM DJ Rosalyn Lee draws flak online for haze comment By Elizabeth Soh | Singapore Showbiz

With the present umpredictable weather of sudden downpour, who still bother to polish? For me, I don't..... :)

these days, very very hot mornings, sun ultra bright, high temperatures..... afternoon, dark clouds start to form, lightning seen in the skies.... anticipating the relief of cooling rain, the dark clouds then..... disperse, just like that repeat same pattern next day the weather's fooking with us.....

a loud grinding noise from the front right of the car occurs only during wet weather. on dry weather, there is absolutely no such sound no matter how i whack the car. but 5 mins into a rain, this noise comes out, when it is loud, it is quite alarming because you might think the car is breaking down any moment. it is not making noise continuously, it on off on off during the journey. i notice it will get louder when i raise rpm, when i release throttle, it subsides. anyone had before, the car is legacy gt 2.5 auto

Hi all, my 4 yo toyota vios have this strange problem. From my observation, in cool weather, there is no problem but if under hot weather, my air con will be cut-off. There is only hot air blowing out. Any bro can advise what is the likely problem? Thanks in advance!

Hi folks, Be sure to drive safely during rainy weather and avoid travelling beside heavy vehicles. Practive defensive driving. My experience last week...

I noticed recent my FC gone up. I am clocking 10-15% less distance before topping up. Could it be the hot weather?

A powerful typhoon struck Japan today, causing four deaths and forcing companies including Toyota Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co. to close some plants, company spokesmen said. Typhoon Roke, the second big storm to hit Japan this month, was packing winds of up to 220 km per hour. The storm cut power to more than 575,500 households in Tokyo Electric Power Co's service area. Toyota, like other Japanese producers, has become overly cautious after March

Like everyone, we enjoy travelling via our car. However, could the current hot weather due to us driving a little over ?

The weather of late has been pretty crazy, with searing temperatures allied with the onset of sudden heavy thunderstorms to make our lives all miserable. (But then again, that's how Singapore's weather has been like forever, so at least it's not a new phenomenon) Despite that though, if there's work to be done, there's work to be done. And the sgCarMart team has been hard at work this week, braving the weather to bring you guys some amazing photos for our articles, just for our readers' pleasure. It can be tough sometimes, as we stand under the hot sun, getting an impromptu tan while we seek the best angles for photoshoots. And if it rains, all our best laid plans we may have would go to waste, as we would then have to source out alternative venues at short notice to capture the best shots. But at the end of the day, we all feel that it's worth the sacrifice, if we do manage to get amazing pictures to go along with our articles. We understand that pictures speak a thousand words, and so we strive our very best to seek out the best locations, and arrange the cars in the best possible pose to get the desired effect. All these, just for you, our readers. You are the motivation for our hard work and efforts. As long as there is continued support from you, we don't mind getting sunburnt, or getting drenched in the rain, a few more times.

Whose car is affected by the hot weather? Example...fc goes down, power goes down...sluggish. Maybe mine is 1.5l niah so quite affected by it. Otherwise...it is shiok...when the weather is cool...a lot of difference. Who experience or feel the same?

Planning for the CNY shopping this weekend, but the rain has not stop since Friday. Bad luck also for those CNY market, last weekend before CNY and the rain just not stopping. Does your plan affected this weekend?

Being a cosmopolitan city, Singapore is brightly lit with the rows of lights lining up the roads and expressways. But I realised that these things posed as potential hazards at night during a downpour especially as it caused the lights to "break up' and distract your vision because of the glare produced by the 'break up' of lights. I was driving down from NSHW yesterday and the rain was heavy from Malacca to here but once I entered the checkpoint, I feel that driving in Sg is more challenging due to the change in environment. Now I appreciate more the lack of street lights on NSHW. Anyone feels the same? Any remedy to eliminate the hazard?