PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is now in the monsoon transition phase from March 29 until May, with heavy rain and strong winds expected over short periods, bringing relief from the hot weather that has hit the country of late says Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup.
The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister said the current hot weather phenomenon is an annual occurrence that usually begins towards the end of the Northeast Monsoon season until June, due to reduced cloud cover, particularly in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia.
"The arrival of the monsoon transition phase is expected to bring more frequent heavy rain and strong winds over short periods, particularly in the afternoon to early evening.
"This situation is expected to occur in many areas of the western, northern and interior parts of the Peninsula, as well as Sabah and Sarawak," he said in a statement on Friday (April 3).
According to him, the wet weather will not only help ease the prevailing heat but is important in helping to restore water levels in dams.
He said that based on the latest monitoring by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), there has been a significant reduction in areas recording temperatures above 35°C.
"For now, only eight areas in Peninsular Malaysia are still at Level 1 or Alert Status, where the daily maximum temperatures reach between 35 and 37°C for three consecutive days.
"This shows that the extreme hot weather conditions are beginning to improve in line with the monsoon transition phase," he said.
As a proactive measure to ensure stable water storage in dams, Arthur said the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), with technical cooperation from MetMalaysia and the Air Force, will conduct cloud-seeding operations.
"These operations are scheduled to be held from April 6-9, focusing on northern states of the Peninsula and Johor, to support increasing dam water levels for public needs," he said.
He advised the public to remain vigilant about sudden weather changes and to obtain verified information through official MetMalaysia channels.
He added that the government remains committed to continuously monitoring the situation to ensure environmental well-being and the sustainability of the country's water resources. – Bernama
