Malaysia: Much-needed rain from mid-March

neville spykerman The Star 25 Feb 14;

PETALING JAYA: Inter-monsoon rains, which typically come after the middle of March, should bring Malaysians much-needed reprieve from the dry spell, said the Malaysian Meteorological Department.

“We should see a gradual increase in rainfall in the west coast of the peninsula from the third week of next month,” said department forecast director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah.

He said most states would have more showers or thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evenings.

Muhammad Helmi stressed that the current dry spell caused by lesser rainfall was nothing abnormal and followed the end of the north-east monsoon in February.

“It’s not a heat wave or drought.

He added that higher temperatures due to less cloud cover was also normal for this time of the year.

Muhammad Helmi said the slight haze was also due to the absence of rainfall.