THE current heatwave is caused by the El-Niño weather condition but Malaysians can take comfort in the fact that it is a weak one unlike 2016’s Super El-Niño.

Director-general of the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) Alui Bahari said although the heat feels sweltering, it is part of the annual weather pattern.

“We are having a weak El-Niño event this time,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

“We don’t expect it to have significant impact on Malaysia like what had happened with the Super El-Niño in 2016.”

The 2016 occurrence caused a prolonged drought in Malaysia and even disrupted the rice-planting season in states like Kedah.

Water levels in dams in several states ran low and water-rationing was imposed in some areas like Perlis.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah climatologist Associate Professor Ramzah Dambul said the conditions this time are not as severe as 2016.

“The heat now is not worse than 2016. It was more extreme then.”

MetMalaysia said on March 12, the current El Nino episode is expected to last until May with a probability of 55%.

The report also stated that a weak El-Niño event would not significantly impact on the temperature or cause any abnormal hot weather this year.

But despite the present situation being better than in 2016, several areas in the west coast of the peninsula are recording high temperatures with little to no rain.

High temperature alert

Alui said the causes of the heatwave are a lack of both cloud cover and rain during the end of the northeast monsoon season.

“From our records, the highest temperature Malaysia ever recorded was 40.1°C in Chuping, Perlis, on April 9, 1998 during the 1997/1998 Super El-Niño.”

Ramzah, the climate-change expert, also said it would be “unlikely” for temperatures to reach 40°C this time.

On Sunday, MetMalaysia said 21 areas in nine states hit the Level 1 alert with temperatures ranging between 35°C and 37°C.

Malaysia has a three-tier colour-coded warning system for heatwaves. Above Levels 1 and 2 is the national emergency level for temperatures above 40°C.

According to MetMalaysia’s weather forecast for the week, northern states Kedah and Perlis are expecting temperatures up to 37°C until Friday and Sunday respectively. 

Penang and Pahang will experience temperatures of up to 36°C until today and 35°C until Sunday with a little rain expected. Perak is also forecast to record temperatures up to 35°C until Sunday with little rain.

Selangor, Johor and Negri Sembilan will face temperatures up to 36°C for the whole week with little rain in remote areas, while Malacca, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya can expect temperatures up to 36°C until Sunday.

Smog in some places

Along with the heat, some locations in the peninsula are also experienced smog in the last two days. The air pollutant index showed unhealthy readings for Rompin in Pahang, and Banting in Selangor yesterday.

Rompin recorded very unhealthy API readings on Sunday and early yesterday. Its highest reading was 279 at 3am yesterday. The reading later improved but was still unhealthy at 176 as of 5pm.

Banting also had unhealthy API readings from Sunday night until last evening. As at 5pm yesterday, the reading was 114.

In Shah Alam, the API readings were also unhealthy from 4pm on Sunday (106) until 1am yesterday (124). But readings have since improved to 96 at 5pm yesterday.

Good API readings are from 0 to 50 while moderate readings are 51 to 100. Unhealthy API are recorded from 101 to 200, and 201 to 300 for very unhealthy. Readings more than 300 are classified as hazardous.

Slight relief in April

Alui said the temperature should start to cool next month with the arrival of the inter-monsoon April rains.

“The inter-monsoon season is expected to start on Tuesday (March 19). Usually, there will be an increase in rain during this season.

“So far, we have not forecast any abnormal weather conditions in the country,” he said when asked if MetMalaysia forecast a delay in the rains.

MetMalaysia also urges the public to refer to its website www.met.gov.my, Facebook page (malaysiamet), Twitter account (@malaysianmet) or mobile app myCuaca for the latest on the weather. – March 19, 2019.