KUALA LUMPUR: The hot weather phenomenon currently affecting the country is expected to persist until the beginning of the Southwest Monsoon (MBD) in June, due to drier atmospheric conditions and lower rainfall, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).
MetMalaysia deputy director-general (Operations) Ambun Dindang said Malaysia is currently in the final phase of the Northeast Monsoon (MTL), which is usually characterised by reduced rainfall and hotter, drier weather conditions, especially in the northern and interior areas of the peninsula.
He said that based on local and international weather model projections, the country is expected to experience drier weather patterns with lower-than-usual rainfall over the next few months.
"During the monsoon transition phase, expected to begin from the end of March to May, the west coast and interior areas of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as western Sabah and Sarawak, are expected to receive rain, especially in the afternoon and early evening. This rain is expected to lower temperatures in Malaysia slightly," he told Bernama.
Ambun said rainfall is expected to increase from the end of this week, affecting most areas in the western and interior parts of the peninsula, as well as western Sabah and Sarawak.
He said that based on the latest records, several areas such as Limbang in Sarawak and Sandakan and Tawau in Sabah have recorded above-normal rainfall, while several other locations such as Ipoh (Perak), Subang (Selangor), Kudat (Sabah) and Mulu (Sarawak) have recorded normal levels.
"However, most other stations showed below-normal rainfall, with Kedah (Alor Setar, Kubang Pasu and Langkawi) and Papar (Sabah) each recording up to 17 consecutive days without rain, while Perlis recorded 15 days without rain as of March 23," he said.
Ambun said northern areas of the peninsula, such as Kedah—including Pendang, Baling and Padang Terap—were more vulnerable to hot weather due to geographical factors and the MTL wind pattern, which brings more humidity to the East Coast and southern peninsula as well as Sabah and Sarawak.
"In January, the focus of wind flow and weather systems is more active in that area, causing the northern and western parts of Peninsular Malaysia to experience drier and hotter weather conditions," he said.
Meanwhile, he said that, in general, hot weather in Malaysia occurs during the final phase of the MTL from February to April, when the northern areas of Peninsular Malaysia tend to experience warmer conditions, although this also depends on climate variability such as the ENSO phenomenon.
Ambun said that based on global climate models, Malaysia is no exception to the increasing frequency of extremely hot days, especially when influenced by the El Nino phenomenon.
"The country's highest temperature record shows a reading of 40.1 degrees Celsius in Chuping, Perlis, in 1998, followed by Batu Embun, Pahang (39.3 degrees Celsius) in 2016 and Alor Setar (39.1 degrees Celsius) in 1998, all of which occurred during strong El Nino events," he said.
Ambun said Malaysia has the potential to reach a level 3 heat wave if a strong El Nino occurs, but the development of the phenomenon is still being monitored.
He said MetMalaysia defines a heat wave as a daily maximum temperature exceeding 37 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days, with a level 1 warning issued at 35–37 degrees Celsius, level 2 at 37–40 degrees Celsius and level 3 when the temperature exceeds 40 degrees Celsius for the same period.
Ambun also advised the public to drink enough water, reduce outdoor activities especially in the afternoon, wear appropriate clothing, avoid open burning and use water prudently to prevent wastage.
He said hot and dry weather could also lower dam levels and increase the risk of drought and water supply disruptions, in addition to affecting health, including risks such as heat stroke and dehydration. – Benrama
