HOT, DRY WEATHER IN NORTHERN PENINSULAR M'SIA NOT UNUSUAL - EXPERT

By Mohd Fharkhan Abdul Ghapar

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- The hot, dry and windy conditions in northern Peninsular Malaysia, known locally as ‘musim timur’, is a normal weather pattern during the Northeast Monsoon season, said an expert.

Universiti Malaya (UM) meteorologist Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah said the Northeast Monsoon is driven by cold surges, strong northeasterly or easterly winds and a low-pressure zone known as the monsoon trough.

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The professor from UM’s Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES) said that between January and February, the monsoon trough shifts southwards with the sun’s movement, compared with its position over northern Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand at the onset of the Northeast Monsoon from November to December, when heavy rainfall is more widespread.

“These hot and dry conditions are normal for northern Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand, as the monsoon trough has shifted to the southern South China Sea.

“Northern states are now outside the convergence zone, entering the ‘east season’ or dry spell, with clear skies, dry and windy conditions. Rainfall is expected to pick up from April,” he told Bernama.

He said the south, including Johor, Sabah and Sarawak, is now seeing more rain as the monsoon trough shifts.

He said the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), which usually supports thunderstorms and wet conditions in the north, is currently in a dry phase.

He said the MJO is a natural tropical climate pattern that swings every 20-60 days and typically occurs in the absence of El Niño or La Niña events, elaborating that the situation is still considered normal and is not expected to significantly affect daily activities, including water supply.

“The situation isn’t critical, as heavy rainfall in November and December kept all dams full, which should sustain supplies until April,” he said.

“It’s just hot weather, but the temperatures haven’t reached 40°C, averaging around 34 to 35°C,” he said.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), in a Facebook post yesterday (Jan 27), said that six Peninsular locations have recorded over seven consecutive rain-free days, including Perlis (30 days), Langkawi (27 days), Kedah (27 days), and Central Melaka (23 days).

In addition, the Southwest district in Penang recorded 23 rain-free days, followed by Kuala Langat, Selangor (23 days) and Kota Setar, Kedah (20 days).

MetMalaysia’s Long-Term Weather Survey for January-June 2026 predicts wet conditions in northern Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah early on, with rainfall expected to decline from mid to late period, especially in central and southern Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak.

-- BERNAMA