SINGAPORE - Swop your sunglasses for the brolly, as rain is expected for the next two weeks, which should provide some respite from the recent sizzling weather.

However, daily maximum temperatures may still range between 34 deg C and 35 deg C on most days.

The daily maximum temperatures may even exceed 35 deg C on a few days when there is less cloud cover.

On most afternoons, moderate to heavy thundery showers over parts of Singapore are expected for the first half of April, said Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) on April 1.

This is because inter-monsoon conditions are expected to set in during the first week of April, while the north-east monsoon gradually weakens, it added.

The inter-monsoon period is characterised by light and variable winds, and higher lightning activity.

This comes after the mercury hit 36.3 deg C in Choa Chu Kang on March 24, the highest temperature Singapore has experienced so far in 2024.

For the first two weeks of April, the total rainfall is expected to be near average over most parts of the island, said MSS.

The last two weeks of March – when north-east monsoon conditions prevailed over Singapore and the surrounding region – were warm, with daily maximum temperatures above 35 deg C on most days.

The second half of March was also fairly dry, with well below-average rainfall received across the island. For example, Changi and Simei recorded rainfall of 99 per cent below average, and Kent Ridge recorded rainfall of 10 per cent below average.

But on some afternoons, thundery showers fell over parts of the island.

On March 17, strong solar heating coupled with localised sea breeze convergence brought moderate to heavy thundery showers over the southern and western parts of Singapore in the late afternoon.

The highest daily total rainfall recorded for the second half of the month was 81.8mm in Kent Ridge on March 17.