Upcoming monsoon to bring four to six heavy rainfall episodes, says MetMalaysia

PUTRAJAYA - The upcoming monsoon season will bring about four to six significant episodes of continuous heavy rainfall, especially on the East Coast.

Deputy Director (Strategic) Ambun Dindang said that the Northeast Monsoon heavy rain episodes would occur in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang between November and December.

The season itself is expected to start in November and last until March 2025.

"From December to January, the heavy rains are expected to be more concentrated in Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak," he said while speaking at the National Climate Forum 2024 Northeast Monsoon: Actions and Challenges of the Front Line on Thursday.

Ambun added that continuous rains might occur in the West Coast states if there is a strong monsoon surge or a presence of a low-pressure system in the region.

"Most places are expected to experience average monthly rainfall, except for some areas in the North and East of Peninsular Malaysia and East Sabah which are expected to receive slightly higher than average rainfall at the early phase of the MTL," Ambun said.

He added that during the season, the National Weather and Geophysics Operations Centre (POCGN), operating 24 hours a day, will provide information, weather forecasts, and severe weather warnings when necessary.

"Information, weather forecasts, and warnings for heavy rain, rough seas, and strong winds issued will be disseminated through various channels such as websites, social media (Facebook, Instagram, and X, YouTube), electronic media (TV and radio), print media, and the myCuaca mobile app," he said.

He also said that some areas in northern Peninsular Malaysia, such as Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang, Kelantan, and Terengganu, are expected to experience dry weather and less rain towards the end of the season, from February to May.

MetMalaysia also provides a Fire Danger Rating System (FDRS) to identify areas at risk of forest and peatland fires.

In addition to weather and climate services, MetMalaysia plays a crucial role in providing earthquake and tsunami services.

MetMalaysia is currently implementing 23 additional tsunami siren projects, 17 tide gauge stations, six seismology stations and improvements to the earthquake and tsunami information processing system.