Malaysia: Cold weather on East Coast may recur

Bernama New Straits Times 17 Feb 18;

KUALA LUMPUR: The cold weather experienced in several areas in peninsular Malaysia is a temporary phenomenon but it can recur if the north-east monsoon cold winds from Siberia and China blow towards peninsular Malaysia.

Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia) director-general Alui Bahari said cold weather and thick fogs in the East Coast states, interior of Kedah and north Perak had returned to normal since Feb 12 with daily minimum temperature readings of 20 degree Celsius and upwards at the meteorological stations.

He said the cold weather might be repeated in February next year if there was cold north-east monsoon wind movements from China and the sky was cloudless at night.

“Climatologically, February is a period of lowest daily minimum temperature compared to other months in the states on the East Coast, the interior of Kedah and north Perak,” he told Bernama here today.

He said this when commenting on media reports recently that Kuala Krai on Feb 11 had experienced an extraordinary weather by recording its lowest temperature of 18.4 degree Celsius.

Alui said the cold weather from Feb 9 to 11 in Kelantan was felt in Terengganu and Pahang as well as in the interior of Kedah and northern Perak.

Meanwhile, Alui said MET Malaysia from time to time issued warnings in the event of thick fog due to cold weather and turbulent seas rendering it unsafe for sea and air transport movement activities. “The information will be channelled to the public and related parties including the Department of Civil Aviation, the Fisheries Department of Malaysia, the Marine Department of Malaysia and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency,” he said.

Asked on the possible recurrence of the Cyclone Tembin that hit the Philippines in December last year and its impact on Sabah, Alui said at present there was a tropical cyclone, namely, Sanba Tropical Storm in the southeast of the Philippines.

Accordingly, MET Malaysia would issue weather warnings from time to time for the state of Sabah if heavy rains and strong winds were expected to occur in the state, he said. -- BERNAMA