Cold and chilly weather until Feb next year, say experts

 

The cold spell that is engulfing the country is expected to last until February next year, according to experts.

Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) deputy director-general (Strategic and Technical) Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the cold weather phenomenon following the northeast monsoon involved a change in cold winds sweeping in from mainland China and also continuous rain clouds starting in early November.

“So, when there are a lot of rain clouds, in terms of the sun's rays being somewhat shielded, which causes the temperature to be lower compared to other periods of the year,” he told Bernama yesterday.

At the same time, Hisham said another factor was the rotation of the Earth around the Sun in December, causing the Sun’s position to be far into the southern atmosphere.

“When the Sun tilts to the south, the northern hemisphere will experience winter. This will affect countries (like Malaysia) on the equator,” he said.

Asked about the lowest temperature the country is likely to experience, Hisham said flat land areas in the interior such as Kelantan, Pahang and Perak would be colder than other areas.

“In 2014, the temperature in Kuala Krai, Kelantan, was recorded between 17 and 18 degrees Celsius. So, it is possible that it could happen again in that area,” he said.

Universiti Malaya meteorologist Azizan Abu Samah said the chilly conditions would also prevail in several locations such as Terengganu and Kedah.

“Now, if you are in Kedah at night, it will be cold, while during the day it will be scorching hot,” Azizan said when contacted by Bernama.

He said the winds that blew from China into Malaysia in early November are expected to end in February next year and could cause temperatures to plunge as low as 22 degrees Celsius.

“The change in (direction of) the monsoonal wind will indeed affect the temperature and this situation will also be influenced by the geography or position of an area. If it is in Genting Highlands, the temperature will be even more chilly,” he said.

Azizan also said the cold spell was the effect of the northeast monsoon surge coming from the north.

“This season affects the amount of sunlight received in Malaysia, which is reduced because of the cloudy and rainy weather conditions.

“In addition, the chilly factor experienced is also due to the northeast wind blowing from Siberia,” he said.

- Bernama