Here comes the rain again

Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new emotion
I want to walk in the open wind
I want to talk like lovers do
I want to dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you

–          The Eurythmics, 1983

Feeling melancholy with the rain

The rain brings differing emotions to the day. It can bring a sense of freshness and joy, as much as a sense of melancholy – as the torrential rain has over the last few days.  The North East monsoon from November to March, brings heavy rainfall and flooding to much of the Malayan Peninsula, including Singapore, partcularly in the months of November and December. It can sometimes bring heavy rains for days on end, turning blue to grey, and very much welcomed respite from the heat of the tropics.

Flooding used to be a common occurance during the monsoons in Singapore. Many of the low lying areas such as Bukit Timah Road, Kampong Java Road along the Rochor Canal, the area along Thomson Road close to MacRitchie Reservoir, and Potong Pasir were flood prone and flood marker posts were quite commonly seen around these areas. A significant effort  in improving the drainage system in Singapore has made flooding less frequent, although we do get the occasional intensive downpour as we did yesterday, in which flooding does occur.