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A colleague's blog post two months ago about a blizzard blanketing Singapore had me imagining our urban landscapes covered in a white blanket. But while climate change is impacting us all with hotter weather and heavier rains, the thought of snow in Singapore seems far-fetched. However, this led to another thought: Since we experience thunderstorms and monsoon surges, would it be possible for typhoons to hit Singapore? And if they did, would we be able to withstand them? Image: Carl Kho, Unsplash First, a science lesson The Coriolis Effect, caused by the earth's rotation, is positive in the northern hemisphere and negative in the southern hemisphere. What this means is that the winds in the north will curve and move counterclockwise, while the winds in the south curve and move clockwise. Meanwhile, along the equator, the Coriolis Effect is too weak to provide the necessary spin to increase wind speeds and create typhoons. According to this article from the California Institute of Technology, this is why typhoons don't form within 300km of the equator – where Singapore is located. This video also explains why this is so. But there can be exceptions due to a combination of factors. In 2001, Typhoon Vamei formed 160km north of the equator and according to this Straits Times story, delivered 10% (around 220mm) of Singapore's annual rainfall in one day. With that in mind, what if, due to a combination of factors, a typhoon did make landfall in Singapore? Infrastructure and preparedness Given the focus on climate change, I'd imagine that NEA (National Environment Agency) would be quick to issue warnings for everyone to shelter indoors. All the works (including ongoing ones) to improve drainage would also help mitigate any expected flooding. It helps that our utilities – especially power lines – are underground. So, there are no concerns about electric poles toppling and electrocuting people. We don't have telephone poles and overhead lines either, so we wouldn't need to worry about those. Traffic lights and lamp posts, however, will pose risks. Ditto for any hanging signages, trees and branches. Anything that can be caught by the wind and blown away is a potential hazard. However, while I think our infrastructure can cope, I'm not as confident that everyone can. Image: Richard Burlton, Unsplash Question marks Since most of us have only ever experienced monsoon surges and severe thunderstorms, the destructive power of a full-blown typhoon is going to be fearsome. What I'm pessimistic about is how people will react. I can picture massive panic-buying of everything, especially toilet paper. Expect empty shelves in supermarkets. Fights will break out. It will be kiasu and kiasi to the 10th power, as the panicked ones hoard six to eight months of supplies for a typhoon that passes in two or three days. Pharmacies would be emptied out, too. You don't need the entire population to do this – a few hundred irrational folks will ruin it for everyone else. The Government will have to take pre-emptive actions to prevent this from happening. Then there are those who will endanger themselves (and others) by insisting on filming and documenting the typhoon as it makes landfall. These people will probably track the typhoon's path and aim to be where the winds are strongest, so they can capture the havoc it will wreak. And it won't be for posterity. It'll be for views and subscribers. And our first responders will be put at even greater risk trying to save these people. Hey, if it happens in other countries, it'll happen here. Image: Carl Kho, Unsplash When not if It is unlikely for a typhoon to pass directly through Singapore, but if Typhoon Vamei came so close, it could happen. We shouldn't wait till then to mentally prepare ourselves for this possibility – no matter how remote it may be. At the very least, we should remind ourselves that in any extreme weather event, the first course of action is to shelter at home and not venture outside unless it's an emergency that requires us to leave our residence. Remember, even during the COVID circuit breakers, we still had access to food, groceries, and petrol. If we can survive four months being cooped up at home, waiting for two or three days for a typhoon to pass is nothing. Above all, events like these are a test of national unity. If we adopt the mindset of looking out for each other and thinking about what's best for the community, we'll be able to withstand not just typhoons, but any national challenges that come our way. – Jeremy Main image: NASA, Unsplash

More accidents occur on Singapore roads on stormy days and with the monsoon season in full swing, road safety experts are advising motorists to take extra care. About 30 accidents take place typically on days of thunderstorms, according to traffic updates given by the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Most of them were on expressways. But on days of moderate to heavy showers, the number of accidents were between 14 and 26. This pattern was derived from the LTA's Twitter feed for the past 10 days. One of the highest numbers of accidents logged was on Monday when there were heavy showers and flash floods in parts of Singapore. At least 30 accidents were on LTA's Twitter feed. Last Monday, when heavy rain fell across the island, at least 28 accidents were logged. Most happened on expressways such as the Pan-Island Expressway, Ayer Rajah Expressway and Seletar Expressway. Accidents were also logged along the East Coast Parkway and Bras Basah Road. Poor visibility is inevitable during a storm. An added risk is slippery roads, said Singapore Road Safety Council vice-chairman Gopinath Menon. This is especially so "when you have rain after a dry period as grime, dust and oil from the roads can make them slippery, especially for motorcyclists". Singapore's north-east monsoon season wet phase typically takes place between mid-November and January. In the inter-monsoon season from October to November, the thunderstorms usually lash Singapore in the afternoons and early evenings. During these times, Prof Menon, an adjunct associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, advised motorists to keep their headlights on and maintain a greater distance from vehicles in front. The Automobile Association of Singapore also urged motorists to ensure their vehicles are well-maintained to cope with the weather. Dirty windscreen and faulty wipers, for example, can hinder visibility when it rains. Its online advisory also said to travel slower as vehicles take longer to stop on slippery roads. Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/more-road-accidents-days-thunderstorms-20131107