Expect chilly weather to last until February, say experts

 

Flat land areas in the interior, such as Kelantan, Pahang and Perak, and places like Genting Highlands would be colder than other areas.

KUALA LUMPUR: 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) Hisham Mohd Anip said the cold weather phenomenon following the north-east monsoon involved a change in cold winds sweeping in from mainland China and also continuous rain clouds since early November.

“So, when there are a lot of rain clouds, the sun’s rays are being shielded. This causes the temperature to be lower compared to other periods of the year,” he said.

He said the rotation of the earth around the sun in December will also cause the sun’s position to be far in the southern atmosphere.

“When the sun shifts to the south, the northern hemisphere will experience winter. This affects countries (like Malaysia) on the equator,” he said.

When 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 at between 17°C and 18°C. 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 but during the day it will be scorching hot,” he said.

Azizan said the winds that blew from China into Malaysia in early November were expected to end in February next year and could cause temperatures to plunge as low as 22°C.

“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 north-east monsoon surge coming from the north.

“This season affects the amount of sunlight received in Malaysia as this would be reduced in cloudy and rainy weather conditions.

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