Malaysia: Wet spells and thunderstorms herald the advent of monsoon season

AIN MOHAMED RADHI New Straits Times 8 Oct 17;

KUALA LUMPUR: Several districts in the country will experience heavy rains until next month, during the fair weather’s transition into the monsoon season.

Meteorological Department director-general Alui Bahari said the transition would lead to localised downpour, thunderstorms and frequent strong winds.

“Thunderstorms and strong winds are expected to occur from the evening until early night at most districts in the west coast states and interiors of the peninsular, as well as west coast of Sabah and central Sarawak,” he said when contacted today.

He said in September, Chuping Meteorological station recorded the highest amount of rainfall since 1995 at 389.3mm.

Alui said the public had been advised to be more alert on the weather changes and make early preparations for all eventualities.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar was reportedly to have said changes in the weather are expected to unleash major floods in several parts of the country.

The public can obtain latest information on the weather at the department’s website www.met.gov.my, Facebook and Twitter pages, myCuaca mobile application or contact its hotline at 1-300-22-1638.


Expect heavy downpour till next month
razak ahmad The Star 9 Oct 17;

PETALING JAYA: The inter-monsoon season has begun, bringing more frequent downpours and thunderstorms to the Klang Valley and parts of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, including flash floods.

As of yesterday, water levels at several measuring stations in Selangor, Melaka and Sarawak exceeded the alert level.

The Meteorological Department said the inter-monsoon period, which started on Oct 6, was expected to last until early next month.

“Heavy rain and thunderstorms, as well as strong winds, in the early evening will occur more frequently in most west coast states and the interior of the peninsula, the west coast of Sabah and, western and central Sarawak,” it said in a statement.

This could cause flash floods in parts of the Klang Valley and the northern states on the west coast of the peninsula, such as Perak, Penang and Kedah, he said.

“Once the northeast monsoon begins in early November, it will be the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as the northern states on the west coast that start to experience heavy rain,” he said.

On the likelihood of the La Nina weather phenomenon taking place towards the end of this year which could worsen the floods, Prof Azizan said the situation now “is neutral”.

La Nina is an irregular weather phenomenon which leads to a cooling of sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which can cause unusually heavy rainfall in some parts of the world.

The website of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage showed water levels at several measuring stations exceeding the alert level yesterday.

These are Selangor’s Sungai Bernam SKC Bridge station in Hulu Selangor, Sarawak’s Bintulu Belaga Road station, Ng Merurung station in Kapit and the Long Tengoa station in Limbang.

In Melaka, those recording alert level readings were the Sungai Malim Klebang Besar and Sungai Duyong stations, both in Melaka Tengah.


Wan Junaidi: Increase in rainfall early sign of possible floods
The Star 9 Oct 17;

KUCHING: The quantity of rainfall has increased in Malaysia and Indonesia, which are early signs of possible floods, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He said he had asked the National Security Council and related agencies to be prepared and to act immediately in providing aid to victims since the rainy season had begun.

Facts and data currently kept by the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID), said Dr Wan Junaidi, were no longer relevant and a comprehensive review would need to be carried out to address floods in the country.

This, he said, was due to the change in rainfall and weather patterns, adding that locations which never flooded before were now also facing the problem.

“Although there is no specific allocation to tackle floods in Budget 2018, I hope attention will be given to this matter by the Government,” Dr Wan Junaidi told reporters after presenting minor rural project grants worth RM247,920 to 71 organisations and associations here on Saturday.

On another matter, Dr Wan Junaidi, who is also Santubong MP, said he wished to contest in next general election. — Bernama