PUTRAJAYA: Humid weather over the past few days has helped ease haze in the Klang Valley and Sarawak, but conditions could deteriorate again in the near future.
Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said hot and dry conditions were expected to return within days, with the country still in the Southwest Monsoon season until the end of September.
"The risk of haze remains as long as the Southwest Monsoon winds persist,” he told Bernama.
During the Southwest Monsoon, lower humidity contributes to reduced rainfall and more days without rain, Mohd Hisham said.
He said the country’s haze conditions were also being influenced by El Niño, which is currently moderate but is expected to intensify between October and December.
"These two factors combined are contributing to drier conditions and a higher risk of forest and peatland fires, which could trigger local and transboundary haze,” he said.
According to Mohd Hisham, meteorological analysis, Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) hotspot data, atmospheric modelling, the Malaysian Community Multiscale Air Quality model and wind trajectory analysis indicated that the haze in the Klang Valley had local causes, while the haze affecting parts of Sarawak was linked to both local and transboundary factors.
He said the monitoring was supported by satellite imagery from the ASMC and weather information shared by neighbouring countries.
"Weather model analysis also showed winds consistently blowing from areas with a high concentration of hotspots in western Borneo towards southern Sarawak,” he said.
As of this morning, five areas in Sarawak recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings.
Data from the Malaysian Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) portal showed that Serian recorded the highest reading at 156, followed by Kuching (154), Sri Aman (152), Samarahan (113), and Mukah (106).
Meanwhile, 58 areas across the country recorded moderate API readings of between 51 and 100, while five areas recorded good air quality (readings below 50).
Yesterday, Mohd Hisham reportedly said the likelihood of El Niño reaching the very strong or "Super El Niño” category from October to December had exceeded 90 per cent and could make it one of the most extreme on record.
He said the strong El Niño episode was likely to coincide with a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, which could exacerbate the decline in rainfall across the region. - Bernama
