Hot and dry days for next two months

PETALING JAYA: There will be hot and dry days over the next two months, with limited rainfall across the country till September.

The meteorological department says the isolated rainfall in certain parts of the country now was no indication of milder weather to come.

A department spokesman said the hot dry spell was due to the south-west monsoon winds which began in the middle of May, indicating drier weather than normal with less rainfall and cloud formation.

“We expect the hot and dry weather to continue with limited isolated rain across the country,” he said.

On the El Nino phenomenon – the prolonged warming of surface temperatures that happens over the eastern Pacific Ocean every two to seven years for six months – the department had yet to establish that it had started, but noted many prediction centres around the world expected it to develop within the next few months.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment portal showed 11 areas with good quality readings while 41 areas recorded moderate readings as at 4pm yesterday.

An Air Pollutant Index (API) of up to 50 is considered good; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy; and 301 and above hazardous.

Bakar Arang and Sungai Petani in Kedah had the highest API reading of 99, followed by Seberang Jaya 2 and Prai in Penang, which recorded an API of 98.

Various areas in the Klang Valley recorded moderate API readings from 53 (Putrajaya) to 66 (Kuala Lumpur).