Respite as another tropical depression dissipates

The Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has ended a continuous heavy rain alert for the northern Peninsular Malaysia region at 8pm today, as a tropical depression associated with the event begins to abate.

“The tropical depression around the northern Peninsular is weakening and is expected to dissipate completely. Weather in Perlis, Kedah, Penang, and northern Perak is expected to improve.

“The continuous heavy rain warning issued at 6.45pm on Dec 21 for these states is hereby terminated,” it said in a statement today.

The department had issued a statement last night warning of impending storms affecting these states, as the tropical disturbance then identified as Invest 94B approached the northern entrance of the Straits of Malacca from the west.

It issued a continuous heavy rain “alert” for Perlis, Kedah, Penang, and the Perak districts of Kerian and Larut, Matang dan Selama this morning as the disturbance is reclassified as a tropical depression.

Continuous heavy rain is defined as rain expected to last more than six hours with total rainfall of more than 60mm.

An “alert” is the lowest severity of MetMalaysia’s three-tier continuous heavy rain warning system, which means continuous rain is anticipated but is not expected to be heavy.

A “severe” warning is where heavy continuous rain is expected, and “danger” is where rainfall is expected to exceed 240mm per day.

Several thunderstorm warnings were also issued for the northern region throughout the day.

The warnings came while Malaysia is still reeling from the aftermath of another tropical depression that made landfall over the weekend, bringing with it torrential rain and heavy floods across the central peninsula region particularly in Pahang and Selangor.

A tropical depression is a low-pressure weather system – essentially a weak typhoon - Mkini