Cloud seeding may not work to diminish heatwave

KUALA LUMPUR: The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for cloud seeding to curb hot and dry weather conditions caused by El Nino has yet to be finalised, says Science Innovation and Technology Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau.

As of now, the SOP on cloud seeding says that such operations would only be done when there is haze and the air quality reaches unhealthy levels.

“We have received many requests and recommendations to carry out cloud seeding.

“But, we have to consider El Nino as a whole.

“If we do cloud seeding today, the weather will still be hot and dry tomorrow, and the same problem will recur,” he said at Menara Matrade here yesterday.

Tangau also said the SOP required that cloud seeding be approved by a special committee chaired by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim.

However, the worry of more hotter days are now diminishing because the heatwave has weakened and El Nino will slow down by June.

Tangau added that six places in the country had recorded temperature levels of between 37ºC and 39ºC as at 4pm yesterday.

The highest was Batu Embun, Pahang (37.8ºC); followed by Chuping, Perlis and Temerloh, Pahang (37.7ºC); Alor Setar (37.6ºC); Lubok Merbau, Kedah (37.4ºC); and Seberang Prai (37ºC).

Tangau was at Menara Matrade to present prizes to the winners of the 2015 Malaysia Design Competition and the 2015 MRM-IBag Design Competition.

The competition by Malaysia Design Council and organised by the ministry serves as a platform for young local designers to display their creativity in generating new ideas and concepts.