PETALING JAYA: Petaling and Kuala Lumpur are the latest areas to join the list of places under Level 1 heatwave alerts in Malaysia.
In an advisory issued by the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), as at 4.50pm on Feb 29, Pokok Sena in Kedah remains under Level 2 Heatwave alert.
According to MetMalaysia, a total of 23 places in the country are under Level 1 heatwave alert, including the whole of Perlis and almost the whole of Kedah.
The areas are Langkawi, Kota Setar, Yan, Pendang, Baling, Sik, Padang Terap and Kubang Pasu in Kedah, North and Central Seberang Perai, and Northeast district in Penang, Larut Matang, Kinta, Manjung, Kampar, Batang Padang and Kuala Kangsar in Perak, Beaufort in Sabah and Limbang in Sarawak.
In Selangor, the areas under Level 1 are Sepang and Petaling.
A Level 1 alert is issued when temperatures at a location are between 35°C and 37°C for three consecutive days while under Level 2, daily temperatures can hover between 37 degrees Celcius and 40 degrees Celcius for at least three days in a row.
Malaysia's hot and dry season has started earlier this year compared to the past two years.
The country, particularly the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia, is seeing the end of the northeast monsoon in March as well as the impact from an ongoing El Nino phenomenon.
