Pauline Ho The Star 24 Jul 10;
THE hottest day in Sarawak during the last five years from 2005 to 2009 was on Sept 30, last year with Kuching sweltering at 36.8 degree celcius.
However, the year 1991 had the highest temperature recorded in the state when the scorching heat drove the mercury level up to a record high of 37.1 degree celcius, according to statistics from the Malaysian Meteorological Department.
This reading was registered at the Meteorological Station at Sibu old Airport on 11 July 1991.
Records from Jan 2005 to Dec 2009 showed the highest temperature in Sibu to be 36.2 celcius on two days on Aug 8, 2009 and Sept 29, 2009, Bintulu 36.1 celcius on Aug 10, 2009 and Miri 34.9 celcius on June 18, 2009.
On rainfall, Bintulu has been recording the biggest volume during the five-year period up to 2009, with the most rainy year being 2008 with rainfall of 5,414.2mm when it rained for 252 days.
The driest year was in 2005 with rainfall of only 2,808.2mm.
Sibu and Miri had last year as the wettest year whereby 4,742.7mm (231 days) and 3,259.8mm (191 days) of rain was collected respectively.
Meanwhile, the lowest rainfall recorded was 3,140.4mm (216 days) in 2006 and 2,782.6mm (174 days) respectively.
In Kuching, the most amount of rain was experienced in 2007 (4,768.8mm) when it rained for 263 days.
Last years record in the capital city was 4,730mm of total rain collected (238 days), while the lowest rainfall was recorded in 2006 (3,847.6mm) when it rained for 227 days.
Similar to Kuching, all the Meteorological Stations in the other three areas are located at their current respective airports, 21.7 metres above sea level.
