Hot Weather In Malaysia Is Expected To Last Until May
Drink more water, peeps!
By Yap Wan Xiang — 30 Mar 2022, 10:32 AM
Feeling under the weather because of the hot afternoons?
It is because the country is going through a mild version of a complex weather pattern, called the La Niña phenomenon.
According to New Straits Times, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (METMalaysia) expects the current hot weather to last until May before subsiding in June.
Based on the department's records, its director-general Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said the interior of Pahang and Klang Valley experience a slightly higher maximum temperature, with the latter having it a bit warmer.
He said people in Klang Valley experience a maximum temperature between 35°C and 36°C.
The average daily temperature across Malaysia is between 21°C and 32°C, noted MyGovernment portal.
With that said, the country has yet to record extreme temperatures this week
"The highest temperature recorded this year is at 36.6°C at the Chuping Meteorological Station on 29 January," Helmi said.
Referring to its records, he said Chuping hit the highest all-time temperature on 9 April 1998, with a reading of 40.1°C due to the influence of the strong El Niño phenomenon.
Currently, Malaysia is going through a moderate La Niña phenomenon.
US National Ocean Service explained that the phenomenon is a 'cold event' where trade winds are even stronger than usual, causing warm water to be pushed toward Asia.
NASA-run educational portal SciJinks said that strong winds will blow warm water at the ocean's surface from South America to Indonesia's direction during the period.
"La Niña events sometimes follow El Niño events, which occur at irregular intervals of about two to seven years," reported National Geographic, noting that El Niño is the counterpart of La Niña.
"However, the temperature varies according to the place and is influenced by the shape of the earth's surface," Helmi continued
"The maximum temperature recorded in Chuping over the past week is around 34°C to 35°C."
He then advised citizens to take care of their health during this period, especially people who often work outdoors.
"For those who often work outside, be careful if the weather is too hot. The risks from a high temperature or heatwave include dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, which can worsen a person's health condition," he cautioned.
