The study of the effects of El Nino on northeast monsoon using ERS scatterometer data

El Nino causes abnormal weather phenomena world wide. Its impacts on the northeast monsoon and rainfall in Singapore were investigated by using ERS scatterometer data from 1991 to 1997 and rainfall data. Results show that the El Nino leads to the northeast monsoon starting later and weaker, so does the corresponding rainfall. At the same time, it is found that the northeast monsoon is weaker in January during an El Nino year. When the northeast monsoon in its most active stage, mid-November and December, the strength of the northeast monsoon and the precipitation do not have significant differences in El Nino years and normal years.