April showers expected to ease Malaysia’s hot and dry spell: Experts
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MetMalaysia says the monsoon transition phase is expected to begin in late March and continue until May, bringing thunderstorms and heavy rains accompanied by strong winds in most areas over a short period.
PHOTO: REUTERS
PETALING JAYA – The expected rainfall in early April will ease the current hot and dry spell affecting parts of Malaysia, say weather experts.
National Antarctica Research Centre climatologist Azizan Abu Samah said the current hot and dry spell is forecast to persist for about another week before the weather improves.
“The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) forecast for the country... shows that our region is still in the dry phase of the MJO,” Professor Azizan said on March 29.
“This is expected to end around April 6, after which we will see rainfall.”
The MJO is an eastward moving “pulse” of cloud and rainfall near the Equator that typically recurs every 30 to 60 days.
On cloud seeding efforts, Prof Azizan said it is better to let nature take its course and wait for the rains to arrive to ease the drought currently affecting dam levels in the northern states of Malaysia.
He explained that cloud seeding can be done only when there are cumulus clouds.
“The sky over Kedah is currently not dominated by cumulus clouds, which can generate rain, but more by cirrus clouds, which are not rain-inducing.
“I am sceptical of cloud seeding a cloud that is going to rain anyway, as that is just a placebo,” said Prof Azizan.
Cirrus clouds are high-altitude, thin, wispy clouds composed entirely of ice crystals, often appearing as delicate white filaments or silky streaks.
Cumulus clouds are detached, low-level clouds with a distinct, puffy, cauliflower-like appearance, flat bases and sharp outlines.
He called for patience for the inter-monsoon rain to arrive between April and May to replenish dam levels in the country.
On the heatwave in Kedah, Prof Azizan said that while daytime temperatures may rise to about 38 deg C, they will drop to around 24 deg C at night, accompanied by a breeze.
He also noted that it is currently the padi harvesting season, which does not require much irrigation, in the northern states.
He suggested shifting the padi planting season to enable the Muda Agricultural Development Authority to fill the dams before releasing water for the coming planting season.
On March 25, MetMalaysia said that the monsoon transition phase is expected to begin in late March and continue until May, bringing thunderstorms and heavy rains accompanied by strong winds in most areas over a short period.
MetMalaysia director-general Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said the areas expected to be affected are the west and interior of Peninsular Malaysia, south and central Sarawak and the western part of Sabah.
He said the phase will continue until May, marking the end of the 2025/2026 north-east monsoon, which began on Nov 13, 2025.
He said during that period, the country will receive weak winds from various directions, which could potentially encourage the formation of thunderstorm clouds. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
