Scorching climate not cooling soon
This year could be country’s hottest, with El Nino’s effect expected to linger
PETALING JAYA: There has been a drastic increase in the number of daily heat alerts recorded in Malaysia this year.
According to the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), there were 118 heat alerts as at April 29 this year, comprising 88 Level 1 status heat alerts and 30 Level 2 status heat alerts.
To top it off, the effects of El Nino are expected to last two more months.
“But the longest period of hot weather for the country was last year, which lasted until June,” said MetMalaysia director-general Muhammad Helmi Abdullah in a statement to The Star.
The hot weather in 2023 triggered 102 daily heat alerts – compared with 50 alerts in 2020, 15 in 2021 and 11 in 2022 (refer to graphics).
A Level 1 heatwave status indicates daily maximum temperatures of between 35°C and 37°C, while Level 2 is between 37°C and 40°C, for three consecutive days.
On Thursday, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said El Nino’s effect on the country is expected to continue for the next two months.
He also said that forecasts have indicated that this year could be the country’s hottest year.
On March 25, MetMalaysia said the hot and dry weather around the country was expected to ease up with heavy rains expected with the start of the inter-monsoon at the end of March.
However, parts of Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu, Kedah, Perlis and even Johor continue to see hot and dry weather, along with parts of other South-East Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Mohammad Helmi said thunderstorms, heavy rains and strong winds during the inter-monsoon are expected to be more frequent, especially during the afternoons and evenings, along the west coast, most of the Peninsular Malaysia interior, west Sabah and southern and central Sarawak.
“These have helped bring down the hot weather in most places.
“However, there are still areas seeing less rain, especially the east coast, some parts of the interior of the peninsula and Sabah, causing the weather to continue to be hot,” he added.
As at 4.30pm yesterday, there was a Level 2 heat alert for Pasir Mas in Kelantan as well as Level 1 alerts for Padang Terap in Kedah; Besut and Setiu in Terengganu; Jeli, Pasir Putih, Tanah Merah, Kuala Krai, Kota Baru in Kelantan; and Kota Marudu in Sabah.
Academy of Sciences Malaysia Fellow Prof Dr Fredolin Tangang said according to the Apec Climate Centre in Busan, South Korea, the month of May will see a wetter season nationwide except in northern Sabah.
“However, as usual, Malaysia will begin to shift to the southwest monsoon season in early June when hot and dry conditions often occur.”
Prof Fredolin added that the hot spell during the current El Nino phenomenon is mainly due to the increase of greenhouse gas emissions.
The world’s average temperature will decrease during the La Nina phenomenon and is usually lower than the global warming trend, he said.
Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation climatologist Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah said the temperature from May will be cooler, owing to the higher coverage of clouds and rain during the inter-monsoon.
Regardless, he said that the climate is still stable in terms of the monsoon and El Nino-La Nina cycles.
With higher awareness among the public on weather variability, he said more people are able to adapt to the fluctuations in tandem with more sophisticated lifestyles.
“Do not panic. Instead, always be prepared. Now, there are many public domain websites … The MetMalaysia mobile app also helps in providing updates on the weather,” Prof Azizan said when contacted.
El Nino is a phenomenon that brings hotter, drier weather due to changes in sea surface temperatures and surface winds over the tropical Pacific Ocean. El Nina, meanwhile, is the opposite.