PETALING JAYA: These are dry days in the north of the peninsula, with hot weather and several dams hitting “warning” levels.
The central region has been spared, with thunderstorms forecast across parts of Selangor and Kuala Lumpur – but it won’t be for long. These areas, along with Putrajaya, will face a stretch of drier and hotter days soon, with reduced rainfall forecast beginning July.
The southern states of Negri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor are also expected to face the same situation beginning June.
According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), Sarawak is also expected to experience a reduction in rainfall up to August this year.
“The dry weather can bring a rise in temperatures and pose the risk of forest and peatland fires, which can lead to localised haze,” according to a MetMalaysia report for March to August published yesterday.
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It also said the conditions are consistent with a gradual transition towards a weak El Nino between June and August this year.
The department also said the current hot weather in the north and interior was forecast to continue until Monday.
This, it said, marked the end of the north-east monsoon, which began in November last year, and brought lower rainfall alongside dry and hot conditions.
“However, brief thunderstorms can still potentially take place in the west of the peninsula,” it said.
Yesterday, day temperatures in the peninsula were forecast to range between 33ºC and 36ºC.
The dry spell has hit several states exceptionally hard, with warnings issued for eight dams across the country.
Among the worst hit is the Muda dam in Kedah, which is currently at 10.36% capacity, as at press time.
A warning alert was also issued for the Bukit Merah dam in Perak with water levels at 36.61% capacity.
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A caution alert was issued for the Timah Tasoh dam in Perlis, Ahning and Beris dams in Kedah, and the Labong, Gunung Pulai 2 and Upper Layang dams in Johor.
Yesterday morning, a Level 1 heatwave alert was also issued for three localities nationwide – Perlis, Baling in Kedah, and Pasir Mas in Kelantan.
The Level 1 status (caution) is issued when the maximum daily temperature reaches between 35ºC and 37ºC for three consecutive days.
Parts of Kelantan such as Kota Baru and Bachok, and Terengganu’s Setiu, Besut, Kuala Terengganu, Dungun and Kemaman had experienced about 10 to 11 days without rain in late February.
In Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan, day temperatures have been forecast to range between 31ºC and 33ºC.
