KOTA BARU: Malaysia's weather forecasts are expected to be faster and more accurate with the development of a new numerical weather prediction system by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
Datuk Nor Yahati Awang, the Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry's deputy secretary-general (Environmental Sustainability), said the system will utilise a supercomputer with a processing speed of six petaflops, and be housed at the Public Sector Data Centre in Kulim, Kedah.
She said the system, which utilises High-Performance Computing (HPC) technology, will also incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data Analytics. It is expected to be completed by 2027.
She said that upon completion, the new system will enable weather forecasts to be issued up to 14 days in advance, compared to the current seven-day forecast.
"This leap in capability represents a crucial milestone in the nation's weather forecasting technology, which will strengthen early warning systems and improve preparedness against disaster risks, ultimately safeguarding lives and property.
"Climate change is no longer a future issue. It is a reality we are facing today. Weather has become increasingly unpredictable, extreme events are occurring more frequently and they have direct impacts on public safety, social well-being and the nation's economic sustainability," she told reporters after opening the 2025 National Climate Forum and Disaster Preparedness Programme: Early Warning, Collective Action here on Wednesday (Oct 8).
MetMalaysia director-general Datuk Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the implementation of the new system will provide more time for the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) and other strategic agencies to prepare for potential disasters, including floods.
"The supercomputer we will acquire will enhance the competency and efficiency of disaster warning management, especially for floods. Previously, forecasts were limited to seven days, but with this new system, we can detect early signs up to two weeks in advance," he said.
"He added that the new system not only benefits from increased processing power but is also enhanced by higher-resolution weather models, offering a 300-metre resolution, compared to one kilometre previously. This allows MetMalaysia to generate more detailed and localised weather data.
"Previously, one data point represented one square kilometre. Now, each kilometre can be divided into nine different data points. This makes our forecasts much finer and more accurate," he said.
"Mohd Hisham said the system will provide significant benefits not only for disaster management but also for various agencies and utility sectors, such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Prasarana and airports, all of which depend on weather forecasts for their daily operations.
He added that although the new system can forecast large-scale monsoon and weather patterns much earlier, warning of small-scale thunderstorms over an extended period remains challenging due to their fast and localised nature.
"When it comes to thunderstorms or rainfall lasting one or two hours, those cannot be forecast two weeks. But for large monsoon systems, we can see much further in advance whether major disasters are likely," he said.
He added that MetMalaysia aims for the new system to be the cornerstone in establishing an inclusive, effective and comprehensive national early warning system, in line with efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness nationwide.
Meanwhile, Nor Yahati said that according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia's 2021 Special Report on Flood Impacts, total losses from that year's floods were assessed at RM6.1bil, covering damages to homes, business premises, vehicles, agriculture, manufacturing and public infrastructure.
"This trend of losses has continued (albeit with a marked decrease) in subsequent years, with recorded figures of RM0.6bil in 2022, RM0.8bil in 2023, and RM0.9bil in 2024.
"This clearly shows that the impact of floods goes beyond loss of lives and property damage. It also brings deep economic and social consequences. It demands that all of us become more prepared, more responsive and more resilient in facing increasingly challenging extreme weather threats," she said. - Bernama
